Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from December 2007

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from December 2007

Dangerous products.(Comment)
December 1, 2007... The recent contamination of the toy Bindeez potently illustrates the need for reform of Australia's product safety regime. Following the hospitalisation of three children in NSW and Queensland, NSW Fair Trading immediately withdrew the toy....

The more we shop, the more we pollute: new research suggests that retail therapy isn't therapeutic for the planet.(SUSTAINABLE LIVING)
December 1, 2007... Research by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) recently revealed that what we buy causes more greenhouse pollution than electricity in our homes or driving our cars. "Use of electricity in the home accounts for just 15% of the...

Reducing trans fat in fast food.(FAST FOOD)
December 1, 2007... By now we probably all know trans fats are bad news for our heart. Weight for weight, they're in the same league as artery-hardening saturated fats. One of the main sources of trans fats is fried food, which means fast-food outlets are...

Talcum powder--a cancer risk?(HEALTH RISK)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Women, take note--if you're in the habit of dusting yourself with talcum powder after a shower or discreetly puffing your underwear with a dab of talc, you might want to think twice. In a study published in the...

Qantas launches carbon offset scheme.(CARBON OFFSETS)
December 1, 2007... Qantas now offers passengers a way to offset their flights' carbon emissions. The company's online calculator tells customers their emissions and offset cost. The money is invested in abatement projects, which Qantas says may include energy...

Chateau plastic?(SAFETY FIRST)
December 1, 2007... If you're a wine buff and you're enjoying a relaxing glass as you read this, you'd better put that good crystal down for a second. In news sure to rival the world's greatest revolutions, winemakers have begun to experiment with packaging wine...

Loans for cosmetic surgery: the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons is critical: "It's a bit like putting the ATM next to the poker machine.".(RISKY LOANS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A number of finance companies and brokers are targeting potential cosmetic patients with surgery expensive loan offers marketed on websites: * "If you've been thinking about any cosmetic procedure, then don't...

Corrections.(Consumer news)(Correction notice)
December 1, 2007... (1) DUAL-FUEL RANGES, OCTOBER 2007 In the table on page 38, the usable volume for the WHIRLPOOL ACG9001X should have been 76 L. Also, this oven does have stoppers to prevent the shelves being purled all the way out (except for the grill)....

Debt repayment fears.
December 1, 2007... Ever more Australians worry about keeping up with debt repayments, says a study by Veda Advantage. Rising cost of living and higher interest rates are the main reasons, with four-fifths saying they'll struggle to meet repayments in the next 12...

Broccoli to fight UV?
December 1, 2007... Scientists have discovered you may not have to eat your greens to benefit from them. Research has found that smearing broccoli extracts on the skin could give UV protection to help avoid skin cancer. They work by stimulating the body's...

Organic imports face tougher rules.
December 1, 2007... From 2009, air-freighted food will have to pass Fairtrade and stricter environmental standards to carry an organic label in the UK, due to concerns about C[O.sub.2] emissions from the transport of imported organic products. The Soil...

Geeky gifts: looking for unusual stocking stuffers this Christmas? Shower your favourite geek with a treasure trove of gadgets that plug into their USB port.(CHRISTMAS PRESENTS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There are dozens of unusual USB-powered devices on offer these days, from desktop decorations to useful utilities. Many are available for under $20. They're all within arm's reach--just fire up your web browser and...

Balancing act.(FOOD PROCESSOR WITH SCALES)(Kenwood Multipro Libra)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... Having kitchen scales integrated into your food processor can make food preparation a breeze. With the KENWOOD Multipro Libra, you can weigh the first ingredient straight into the bowl, zero the scale, weigh the second, and so on. It can also...

Cool runnings: motivation waning? Need a bit of help to stay fit? What about a nifty little system incorporating motivational music and encouraging voice feedback, which also tracks your distance, pace, time and calories burned while walking or running?(WORKOUT AID)
December 1, 2007... But wait... there's more. Let it know when you're running out of steam and it'll kick in with your favourite workout tune or some inspiring words. If you want him to, seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong congratulates you after...

Hair straighteners.(Coming ...)(Brief article)
December 1, 2007... You can't change the genes that make your hair straight or curly, but flow you can easily change the way it looks if you're unhappy with what nature's dealt you. Investing in a good hair straightener--and learning how to use it--can save you a...

Folding bikes.(Coming ...)
December 1, 2007... Here's a new commuter scenario: you pedal your bike to the station, fold the bike up, travel comfortably to work without people falling over it, get off the train, unfold the bike and cycle the rest of the way to the office... CHOICE checked...

Cook knives.(Coming ...)
December 1, 2007... On test are 20 cm cook's knives: which cut the best, keep the sharpest, are the easiest to use? Find out what you'd use a cook's knife for, and what other knives are useful for different tasks in your kitchen. If you're putting a knife block...

Frustration at high petrol prices.(Letters Emails)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... * I'm constantly angered by high local petrol prices as it doesn't seem to have anything to do with the price of crude oil. We live in SA and pay 8-15 cents per litre more than towns 30 km away almost all year round. The most I can recall was...

When is a preservative not a preservative?(Letters Emails)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... * The label on this avocado dip claims it's made with no preservatives. However, the list of ingredients on the bottom of the container shows both ascorbic acid and antioxidant 306 and/or 320, which I would consider to be preservatives. Am I...

What about phones for grown-ups? (Part 1).(Letters Emails)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... * Your article on mobile phones (September 2007) was interesting. However, I don't want phones that take photos, record music, etc, etc. I just want one for phone calls and text messages. Phones for 'grown-ups' in other words, especially for...

What about phones for grown-ups? (Part 2).(Letters Emails)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... * I enjoyed your thorough test of mobile phone in the September issue. I note, however, that unlike your tests of some products, you didn't assess phones for use by people with disabilities. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You'll be interested...

Smart shopper.(Letters Emails)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... * A quick note to let you know how happy I am with my first experience when using CHOICE Shopper. I saved over $300 on my front-loader washing machine and the service was excellent. Well done! Michael, by email CHOICE recommends For a...

Thumbs up!(Letters Emails)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... * In times when manufacturers charge a fee simply to look at your gadgets before deciding whether they'll fix them under warranty, Ray of Wagga Wagga was pleasantly surprised when Canon repaired and cleaned his digital camera at no cost--when...

Happy with laser eye surgery.(LETTER OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
December 1, 2007... * I am a subscriber to CHOICE and I wanted to thank you for your article on laser eye surgery (May 2007). I read this article thoroughly as part of my research prior to having PRK in August. I received a referral to my surgeon from my uncle,...

2007 CHOICE Shonky awards: hail to the nine dodgiest products and services we've come across in the past year.
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There's no shortage of awards in our daily lives: Employee of the Month, Small Business of the Year, Tidiest Town, the Oscars. What they have in common is their focus on the positive, the good, the best. For most of...

2007: Toys' annus horribilis: CHOICE tested 30 toys against relevant sections of the Australian standard and almost half failed tests designed to identify possible choking hazards.(Safety Toys)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Year of the Toxic Toy: that's what 2007 has been dubbed, with several major recalls, affecting respected brands like FISHER PRICE, MATIEL and RC2, of toys contaminated with lead paint. Further recalls of toys...

When it comes to the crunch ... Looking for a festive snack that makes you look good? CHOICE presents a selection of sophisticated finger foods.(snack foods)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Whole supermarket aisles are devoted to savoury snacks, crackers and chips. But the party food market has spruced itself up in recent years and these days there's far more on offer than Jatz and crisps--so how do...

Eat, drink and be very happy? Don't panic if you haven't decided on the bubbly for Christmas lunch or New Year's Eve--CHOICE's expert tasters uncork the top drops.(Alcohol Sparkling wines)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There's a good sparkling wine out there for every taste, budget and occasion. As you're probably guided by price when choosing a wine, for the taste test we split the whites into four price brackets; there's another...

Jump on board: your kid's desperate for a bodyboard but you don't know the deck from the nose. Here's how to choose one.(how to choose the right surfboard)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Is your child nagging you to buy them a bodyboard for Christmas? Or do you want to head into the waves yourself-- without going through the hard yards of learning to surf? The beauty of bodyboards is that they're...

Are they friend or faux? It's a multi-million dollar a year industry. CHOICE sniffs out the facts on the counterfeit perfumes business.(Cosmetics Perfume)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To buy cheap perfume or not to buy cheap perfume--that is the question. You may have come across your favourite fragrance for a fraction of the cost, but how can you be sure you're not about to fork out for a fake?...

Know your rights: it's the silly season for impulse buying--so make sure you understand how to play the shopping game.(how to shop right)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Can you get a refund for unwanted Christmas gifts? When your brand-new 106 cm plasma TV stops working, should you accept a credit note? What should you know before keying in your credit card details online? ...

Summer means sizzling barbecues: are you cooking more meals outdoors? Then our latest test of barbecues is well worth reading.(Test Barbecues)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Now that summer's arrived, covers are coming off barbecues all around the country, often for the first time in months. Unfortunately, if you haven't maintained your barbie properly, this can reveal a rather sorry...

Get smart: can a smart phone combine the convenience of a mobile, the breadth of a PDA and more, all in just one package?(Test Smart phones)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fancy a single pocket-sized device to replace your mobile phone, PDA, GPS, MP3 player and even, possibly, your laptop? Not too long ago, a phone was considered smart if it could connect to your PC to update a...

Store before you pour: a wine fridge is a better option than your garage, but the models we tested are far from perfect--especially when it comes to energy consumption.(Test Wine fridges)(Buyers guide)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Australian summer is great for barbecues and days at the beach, but it certainly doesn't provide the best climate for wine storage, with ideal storing temperatures generally being around 12-16[degrees]C (typical...

A zoom with a view: since our last test, high-definition camcorders have hit the market--should you buy one?(Test Camcorders)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CHOICE looked at the latest batch of camcorders-including the new generation of models that deliver high-definition (HD) video. HD, not to be confused with the ability to shoot video at a 16:9 aspect ratio (which...

Where the hell am I? A handheld GPS uses satellites to guide you through the bush--but don't rely on them alone!(Test Handheld GPS)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] An 'adventure' handheld GPS can reveal your position if you're lost or record every step you take so you can find your way back. Also, if you know the co-ordinates of a destination, anywhere in the world, it will...

Playing your song: From as big as a postcard to as small as a button--there's even a digital music player perfect for lap swimmers.(Test MP3 players)
December 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For music on the go, it's horses for courses. The range of digital players (MP3 players) on the market today caters to a wide range of interests and needs. To work out which one will suit you best, consider how and...

On the big(ish) screen: size isn't always the most important aspect of a TV. So you'll be happy with most of the LCD models in this range.(Test 80 cm LCD TVs)
December 1, 2007... They might not be quite big enough for some television connoisseurs, but if you don't want an entire wall in your living room taken up by a jumbo TV, an 80 cm model is a very 'livable' size, and the tested models deliver a crisp image. For...

Recalls & bans.(List)
December 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...

Consumer priorities for the new government.(CONSUMER AGENDA)
December 1, 2007... As we went to press the result of the federal election wasn't known. But there's a clear consumer agenda for any new government. CHOICE wants action for the benefit of consumers in 10 priority areas. 1 New laws that ensure fair consumer...

Hard word.
December 1, 2007... The winner of the prize for best Hard Word entry goes to N Haigh for the cartoon crack in the windshield. Thanks also to H Williams, C Williams, S Richardson, G & M Wright, J Bicket and N Stringer for their contributions to this month's back...