Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from December 2003

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from December 2003

For your Christmas shopping ...
December 1, 2003... As usual, we've tested lots of seasonal products for the December issue to make sure you get value for money in your Christmas shopping. If you've been wondering whether to splash out on a DVD player, now could be the time to give yourself...

Super for the soul: CHOICE, October 2003.(Correction)(Correction Notice)
December 1, 2003... On page 26 we included PSS/CSS in a list of super funds that offer ethical/socially responsible investment options to their members. This is not the case. What PSS/CSS have is an investment governance program that addresses areas of social,...

The answer to wine stains?(evaluation of laundry detergent)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... OMO Onestep is promoted as the "better way to brilliant results". It's a tablet that you simply pop into your washing machine--no more powder all over your laundry. Another selling point is that it contains an oxygen bleach. Hence the...

Stepping your way to good health.(information about pedometers)
December 1, 2003... Pedometers are small devices that record the number of steps you take, and are becoming increasingly popular. They're useful for monitoring exercise or just measuring daily activity. Many models provide additional features, including allowing...

Looking for last-minute holiday deals?(information about online travel booking)
December 1, 2003... With easier access to the internet and improved security for financial transactions, booking flights online is becoming more and more commonplace. Using an online travel agent can save you time and money, but there are pitfalls. The...

Choice cuts: Fisher & Paykel: CHOICE, November 2003.(Correction Notice)
December 1, 2003... We apologise: one slip of the fingers and we gave you the wrong email address to contact Fisher & Paykel's customer care centre. The correct address is customer.care@fp.com.au.

Update: baldness drug--is it a cancer risk?(choice cuts)
December 1, 2003... In the June 2003 issue of CHOICE we looked at the treatment of male pattern baldness, a condition that will affect around 50% of men by the age of 50. One of the potentially successful treatments discussed was the oral medication PROPECIA,...

Turn those old videos into DVDs.(DVD burners evaluated by Computer Choice)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... DVD recordable drives (otherwise known as DVD burners) that can read and write DVDs and CDs are rapidly dropping in price and could make a great Christmas present for any computer enthusiast. They're ideal for backing up large amounts of data,...

Lead alert.(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Thank you for your article Is your home making you sick? (September 2003). As a result of reading it I was alerted to the dangers of lead paint. As a tenant, I had always (and naively) assumed landlords had to provide a safe environment...

Retirement villages--the whole story?(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... I write to express my disappointment with your article Beware retirement village rip-offs (September 2003). My complaint is not so much in what you did say (although it seemed to me it was planned to be as negative as possible) but more to the...

Thumbs up!(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Miss J Bryant of Naremburn, NSW, awards a thumbs-up to Mirabella International. After her kitchen light failed she put in a MIRABELLA bulb, which immediately blew. Thinking she had an electrical problem she called an electrician, who...

More CHOICE shopper satisfaction.(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... I'd just like to say a big 'thank you' to CHOICE Shopper. I was after a digital camera and after asking CHOICE Shopper, I got what I wanted for $100 cheaper than any quote I'd received before. Good on you, keep up the good work. I will...

Festive fizz: good wine for all budgets.(Test: champagne & sparkling wine)
December 1, 2003... IN A NUTSHELL * Six wine experts tasted and rated 81 sparkling wines and champagnes. * The best of the super-premium champagnes costs a small fortune, but quite a few less expensive ones also impressed the experts--see The CHOICE...

The health fund hip-hop: new government proposals could mean you'll pay more for a pacemaker or hip replacement.(Health: costs)
December 1, 2003... IN A NUTSHELL * The Federal Government is planning changes to save money for health funds on prostheses--the artificial spare parts that surgeons use. * Patients will have to pay extra if surgeons want to use items the funds think are...

Credit card buyer's guide: we help you find one to suit your spending, and highlight the traps to watch out for.(Report: credit cards)
December 1, 2003... IN A NUTSHELL * Consumers are experiencing fee hikes and reward scheme changes with some cards. The market's changing, so check rates and fees before deciding. * Competition is heating up, with building societies, credit unions and...

Your say on GM.(survey by readers about genetically modified foods and evaluation of custards)
December 1, 2003... Recently we invited some CHOICE Online subscribers to take part in a survey on genetically modified (GM) foods and how they're labelled. The results were used to support the Consumers' Association's submission to the Food Standards Australia...

It's in the bag: packaged salads are convenient, but they're relatively expensive and the quality can leave a lot to be desired.(Test: prepacked salad)
December 1, 2003... IN A NUTSHELL * Packaged salads are great for singles or couples. You can get an interesting and nutritious mixed salad without buying a whole lot of different ingredients that may end up going to waste. * But you can pay up to 10...

How to reduce spam: there's no surefire way to stop spam, but there are ways to reduce it.(computing choice)
December 1, 2003... If you have an email address, you're probably no stranger to spam--unsolicited commercial email that arrives in your inbox from someone you've never heard of, about nothing you're interested in, addressed to no one in particular. So how do...

Movies at home: great pictures, great sound--you practically can't go wrong with a DVD player.(Update: DVD players)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... IN A NUTSHELL * All the DVD players we tested produced good sound and near perfect pictures, but one stood out for ease of use. * Overall, though, you'd probably be happy enough with just about all the models tested. You might...

Fresh juice: it sounds good, but which juicers will you really use?(Test: juicers)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... IN A NUTSHELL * On test: 13 juice extractors ranging from $30 to $230. * If you're not willing to pay around $100 or more for a juicer, the bad news is the cheaper models didn't work so well. The juicers in this test all operate on...

Digital does it: preserve your favourite memories in high, never deteriorating quality.(Test: digital camcorders)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... IN A NUTSHELL * We tested 20 models from under $1000 to almost $4000. One medium-priced model made it into our What to buy list. * While the picture quality of all the tested models is much better than that of analogue camcorders, only...

The CHOICE Wine Buying Guide 2004: CHOICE selects 453 of the best-value wines Australia drinks.(Brief Article)(Book Review)
December 1, 2003... This year we've tested 453 of the most widely available wines in Australia. In typical CHOICE style, each wine was tasted 'blind'--the panel of 16 experts couldn't see the bottles, so you know the results are truly independent and unbiased. ...

Choice books.
December 1, 2003... MEN INSIDE OUT Do you want to know more about your partner's physical and emotional life? This will help you to find out. "A very accessible book and, importantly, written in a relaxed style that should appeal to young men as well as,...

A fridge to go: you need to know your stuff when choosing a portable fridge--read on.(Test: portable fridges)(Buyers Guide)
December 1, 2003... IN A NUTSHELL * None of the models tested stood out as being the complete package, but the compressor models are probably the best option for most people. Most people who responded to our request for experiences with a portable fridge (in...

Hungry for grass: can petrol lawnmowers do a good mulching job too?(Test: mulcher mowers)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... IN A NUTSHELL * All the petrol lawnmowers we tested did a great job cutting grass, but three weren't as good as the others for mulching. * An environmentally friendly battery-powered lawnmower compared well for performance with the...

Recalls & bans.(recalls of products from australia)
December 1, 2003... 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 Federal Treasury website: www.recalls.gov.au. If you don't have web access, call the Consumer Safety...