Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from April 2007

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from April 2007

An old argument.(Editorial)
April 1, 2007... In the first article in this issue--The whole truth, page 8--we return to an old consumer complaint: the impossibility of easily comparing prices of packaged goods. If a 1.2 kg can of dog food costs $2.65, is that better or worse value than a...

Switch turns off for light bulbs.(CHOICE cuts)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Up to 90% of the energy output of a standard light bulb is wasted, mainly as heat, and Federal Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull recently announced that these standard incandescent light bulbs will be phased out by 2009-10. They'll be...

Be a savvy consumer.(CHOICE cuts)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... While you may be fully aware of a business having taken you for a ride, perhaps you're unsure of how to exercise your rights as a consumer. To clear up any confusion, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) recently...

Rents on the way up.(CHOICE cuts)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has warned of significant rent increases to come this year. Rents went up 3.7% last year and the RBA says information on new rental contracts suggests much larger increases. Since the mid 1990s house...

Stroller wheel guards.(CHOICE cuts)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... In November 2005 we reported on toddler seat attachments for strollers, including PHIL & TEDS E3 Double Kit E3DK11 V2. We were concerned that when the PHIL & TEDS toddler seat is attached at the rear of the E3 stroller, the child seated in it...

Advertising broadband speed.(CHOICE cuts)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... It's annoying to find your broadband connection much slower than you expected, even more so if you changed your internet service provider (ISP) because the new one claimed faster speeds. The industry practice of advertising hypothetical speeds...

Cheeky marketing.(CHOICE cuts)
April 1, 2007... Egg boxes with only 10 eggs, gin and tonic with no gin? It seems that next time you head down the shopping aisles, you'll need to keep your eyes open. A CHOICE staff member got a little less than he bargained for recently when he picked up...

Water-efficient showerheads: CHOICE, March 2007.(CORRECTION)(Correction notice)
April 1, 2007... On page 30 we showed a photo of the DELRANA LUXURY SHOWERS Kestrel Rose showerhead instead of the Best Buy DELRANA Marlin Rose. The photo, right, shows what the Marlin Rose looks like, to help find it when you're shopping.

Protect your back.(WORLD CONSUMER SNAPSHOT)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Sick of getting your textbooks soaked in the rain from an umbrella that's dripping onto your backpack? The Japanese Monthly Consumer reports on an interesting invention: an asymmetrical umbrella, egg-shaped with a longer piece at the back...

Be warned.(WORLD CONSUMER SNAPSHOT)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... We thought you'd enjoy reading some of the silly or senseless warnings the US Consumer Report's 'Selling it' page (the equivalent to our 'Hard Word') collected, such as: Do not use for sleeping; for decorative purposes only on an inflatable...

It's a rip-off!(WORLD CONSUMER SNAPSHOT)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Living costs in Britain are higher than anywhere apart from Japan, Scandinavia, Ireland and the US, reports the UK consumer magazine, Which?. So it's no wonder seven out of 12 Which? members think living in Britain is a rip-off. And stocking up...

Passing the buck.(YOUR letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... I read your article about mobile phone repairs and complaints (Out of service, CHOICE, Jan/Feb 2007) with great interest. My own experience is that mobile phone retailers are fundamentally breaching the law when they try to flick-pass any...

Some like it hot.(YOUR letters)
April 1, 2007... My husband and I recently bought three 'pillow-top' beds from a major furniture retailer. Luckily only one was delivered first off. We have found, to our dismay, that it is terribly hot to sleep in. Even with one person sleeping in the bed you...

Letter of the month.(YOUR letters)(Letter to the editor)
April 1, 2007... We want to hear from you--your experiences help our research and often let other readers know about scams and rip-offs. Positive outcomes you've had to a complaint you took to a manufacturer, retailer, importer or tradesperson interest us too....

Nesha, via email, would like to give a Thumbs-up to QANTAS HOLIDAYS.(THUMPS UP!)(Qantas Airways Ltd.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Nesha, via email, would like to give a Thumbs-up to QANTAS HOLIDAYS, which refunded a portion of her accommodation costs after she alerted them to her dissatisfaction with the facilities she'd booked.

Arthur from Queensland gives a Thumbs-up to the services of the SAMSUNG support team after he accidentally used t-shirt transfer paper in his laser printer, rendering it useless.(THUMPS UP!)(Samsung Corp.)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Arthur from Queensland gives a Thumbs-up to the services of the SAMSUNG support team after he accidentally used t-shirt transfer paper in his laser printer, rendering it useless. Four hours later a repairman was at his door to replace an...

The whole truth: there's a simple way for supermarkets to help shoppers get value for money, save time and make better choices.(SUPERMARKET PRICING / money)
April 1, 2007... It pays to have a healthy degree of scepticism about supermarkets' sales tactics and the tricks they and manufacturers play to get us to buy more products or pay more for smaller quantities, for example. But knowing that some 'specials'...

Diet cola myths: will it really help you lose weight, or protect your teeth?(DIET COLA / food)
April 1, 2007... If you drink diet cola, chances are it's to avoid the sugar in the regular version, perhaps to help you lose weight or for the sake of your teeth. But there are a few things you might believe about diet cola that don't stand up in reality. ...

No longer science fiction ...(FOOD bites)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Animal cloning is a now a reality, and so the implications for its place in the food chain are being considered by our regulators. Animal cloning refers to the breeding of animals by replacing the genetic material in an egg with the genome (the...

Carob vs chocolate.(FOOD bites)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Easter is upon us, and if you're one of the few people who've kept to their New Year's resolution to eat more healthily, you could be thinking of choosing carob over chocolate. Unfortunately, though, carob can contain as much fat and as many...

Better protection against misleading claims.(FOOD bites)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Standards Australia has released a new Australian standard for measuring the glycaemic index (GI) of food. The standard, set to be adopted around the world, will assist in ensuring claims made on products are more accurate, and that consumers...

Pawning your home? A reverse mortgage on your home can increase your standard of living in retirement but don't sign a contract that could put you in danger of losing your home.(money / REVERSE MORTGAGES)
April 1, 2007... A reverse mortgage allows older home owners to borrow money against the value of their home, to do some urgently needed renovations, for example, or to give them an income beyond their pension. The loan is repaid when you sell the home,...

Dreaded lurgie: with winter approaching it's time to get your annual flu shot.(FLU SHOTS / health)(Disease/Disorder overview)
April 1, 2007... No one enjoys being laid low with the flu, but for some people it can lead to far more serious consequences than a few miserable days in bed. Getting an annual flu shot is the single most important and effective measure in preventing the...

Doctor endorsements banned.(HEALTH check)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The Federal Government has taken action to stop doctors and other health professionals giving their endorsement to non-prescription medicines and medical devices. In 2005 the Therapeutic Goods Advertising Code was amended to allow these...

Natural therapies by appointment to ... Brad, Jen and Catherine.(HEALTH check)(celebrities' preferred therapies)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Two eminent UK-based experts on herbal and alternative medicine have been checking out media reports on the lifestyles of the rich and famous. They've come to the conclusion that the popularity of some alternative therapies may be at least...

Travelling OS?(HEALTH check)(operating system)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Passport, money, tickets, toothbrush? Enough of your usual medication to last while you're away? There may be some other things you also need to organise before you go. According to Medicare, it's illegal to take PBS-subsidised medicines...

Clean and green? It's hard to find a 'green' washing powder that gets your clothes clean too.(test: 45 LAUNDRY DETERGENTS)(Product/service evaluation)
April 1, 2007... On test were 45 laundry powder concentrates--14 for front loaders and 31 for top loaders (of which many were also suitable for front loaders). We chose concentrates over ordinary powders and liquids because in previous tests they've generally...

Expanding horizons.(test: DIGITAL CAMERAS)
April 1, 2007... Most cameras on the market are now at least 5 megapixels, which is more than enough to produce an A4-sized photographic-quality print. You now have to look at the bigger picture. Other factors you should look for are good-quality images,...

Private health insurance now more flexible.(HIP pocket)
April 1, 2007... Under new legislation that's planned to come into effect on 1 April, private health insurance funds can cover a new range of treatments. Traditionally, private health insurance covered in-hospital treatments under hospital insurance...

High and dry: our readers and their babies give us the verdict on which nappies rate the best.(test: DISPOSABLE NAPPIES)(diapers)
April 1, 2007... Babies and nappies, no matter what kind you choose, just go together. Whether you're a first-time parent or an old hand, if a little bundle of joy has come your way of late you're going to be spending a lot of time dealing with and probably...

Vegetables: are fresh best? Frozen vegetables can be more nutritious than fresh, and even canned vegies have valuable nutrients.(test: FRESH vs FROZEN vs CANNED)
April 1, 2007... Next time you're in a rush to get dinner on the table, don't feel bad about serving frozen or even canned vegies. By the time you eat them, fresh vegetables can have lower levels of important nutrients, such as vitamin C, than their frozen...

10 clean machines: is an oven that cleans itself too good to be true?(test: ELECTRIC WALL OVENS)(Product/service evaluation)
April 1, 2007... Will a 'self-cleaning' oven save you mindless hours spent scrubbing, scourer in hand and cleaning fumes up your nose? And most importantly, will it also cook and grill your food to perfection? That's what our home economist set out to discover...

All-in-one printers: printer, scanner, copier and even fax all in one box--how useful's that?(COMPUTING choice)
April 1, 2007... Combining a printer, scanner, copier and sometimes also a fax into a single box is a great idea if you're short of space. CHOICE Computer recently tested all-in-one printers and rated their printing, copying, scanning and faxing capabilities....

Looking good: LCD TVs: prices are down, quality is up.(test: 80 CML LCD TVS)(liquid crystal display television)(Product/service evaluation)
April 1, 2007... They're sleek and stylish, outmoding bulky old-style televisions. A flat-screen TV has probably been on plenty of people's wish list for some time now, but high prices and teething problems with reception and ease of use have kept many of us...

Do-it-all for digital TVs: digital TV tuner, DVD recorder and hard disc recorder--all in one box.(test: DVD/PVR)
April 1, 2007... Considering Australia's reputation for adopting new technologies, its uptake of digital TV has been surprisingly subdued since services started in 2001. A switchover from the current analogue system was scheduled for 2008, but has been extended...

For strolling (not jogging!): seven out of the eleven tested three-wheel strollers failed some aspect of testing.(test: THREE-WHEEL STROLLERS)(Product/service evaluation)
April 1, 2007... Three-wheel strollers certainly aren't losing popularity with today's wave of health-conscious parents. The convenience of being able to take bub along on the morning run is a major selling point, and their seemingly 'rugged' stability and...

Compensation for loss.(CHOICE campaigns)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The collapse of the Westpoint property group has highlighted gaps in Australia's consumer protection framework for financial advice. While it's little comfort to the Westpoint investors, who together lost up to $400 million, the scandal has...

Copyright law still fails consumers.(CHOICE campaigns)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... Recent changes to copyright law have at last made legal some everyday consumer activities like copying your CDs to your computer or iPod ('format shifting') or recording a TV program to watch later ('timeshifting'). But new restrictions have...

Xenical advertising banned.(CHOICE campaigns)(Brief article)
April 1, 2007... The National Drugs and Poisons Scheduling Committee recently withdrew permission for the weight loss drug Xenical (orlistat) to be advertised directly to consumers, but didn't change Xenical's status as an S3 'pharmacist only' drug (meaning you...

Recalls & bans.(List)
April 1, 2007... Nowadays there are so many product recalls we may not be able to print all of them in CHOICE. For comprehensive recall information go to the Product Recalls Australia website: www.recalls.gov.au. If you don't have web access, call the Product...