Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from February 2008

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from February 2008

Unfair contracts.(financial contracts and consumer protection)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... The finance contracts we sign should be fair, reasonable and protect our rights. But home loan contracts are complex and, as CHOICE found out, the industry is complacent about terms and conditions that give the lender broad rights, to the...

iPhone contains toxic materials.(+ HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Greenpeace report reveals that the APPLE iPhone contains several hazardous chemicals. Toxic brominated compounds were found at levels of up to 10% in the phone's circuit board and antenna, indicating the presence...

Aldi leads way with unit pricing.(+ CONSUMER WIN)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In November last year Aldi became the first supermarket in Australia to introduce unit pricing, with the company making the switch across its 153 stores. Already widely used in the US and some European countries,...

No such thing ...? There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but if you play your tax cards right you can probably come close.(+ TAX-FREE LAUNCH)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You may have heard of salary sacrificing for an office car or a laptop. But did you know you can do the same thing for an office lunch? Paying for lunch with pre-tax dollars has been growing in popularity in the...

Australia's expanding waistline: two recently published international studies have highlighted Australia's position as one of the fattest nations in the world.(+ FIGHT THE FLAB)
February 1, 2008... A report compiled by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) found that 21.7% of Australians have a body mass index (BMI) over 30, which is defined as obese. Australia has the fifth highest adult obesity rate of OECD's...

Corrections.(Consumer news)(Correction notice)
February 1, 2008... (1) COUNTERFEIT PERFUMES CHOICE, Dec 07/Jan 08 They're so good we mixed them up ourselves! The 'answer' on page 32 said the fake Davidoff Cool Water perfume in the photo on page 31 was on the right--in fact it was the one on the left. ...

Court finds Next G ads misleading: Telstra was found to have misled customers about the coverage of its Next G network in a recent Federal Court ruling.(+ NEXT G)
February 1, 2008... In a series of TV ads, brochures and newspaper ads, Telstra claimed that the Next G network covers 98.8% of the population and the service should be as good as or better than the CDMA network. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission...

Doctor's long-sleeved coats banned.(+ STOPPING SUPERBUGS)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In a bid to stop the spread of 'superbug' MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) in hospitals, doctors' iconic long-sleeved white coats have been banned across the UK's National Health Service. ...

Telling porkies? Ever get confused about the difference between free-range and free-range-bred pork? As far as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is concerned, you just don't need to know.(+ FREE-RANGE PORK)
February 1, 2008... The ACCC was asked to investigate a complaint about misleading advertising by two pork producers, who promoted their products as 'free-range', when technically they're 'bred free-range'. Free-range-bred piglets are born outdoors, to mothers...

Baby blood banking.(+ EMOTIVE MARKETING)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "Storing your baby's umbilical cord blood is an investment in your baby's future" This emotive phrase and the others below, taken from marketing brochures for private cord-blood storage banks, are designed to...

Offsets galore: carbon offsets for car loans, outback coach tours, broadband--the growing range of products and services claiming to neutralize or reduce your carbon emissions is a consumer confusopoly. One company even promises to calculate and offset the methane emitted by your family cat--but what does it all mean?(+ CONSUMER CONFUSION)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Which of the following is the greener car loan, would you say? * NRMA's Green Car Loan, which is available only for cars with a greenhouse rating of seven or higher from www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au, but offsets...

ASIC fights for Westpoint investors: the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has begun legal action on behalf of over 3000 Westpoint investors who lost their savings when the property development group collapsed in late 2005.(+ COMPENSATION FIGHT)
February 1, 2008... The regulator will use its powers under the ASIC Act to chase up to $342.6 million worth of compensation from former Westpoint directors and officers, a trustee and several financial planning companies that sold Westpoint investments. If...

Facebook identity theft: Facebook, the online social network that's swept the globe, has become the modern way to stay connected with friends and family--but revealing too much personal information may leave you vulnerable to identity fraud.(+ ID FRAUD)
February 1, 2008... To show just how easy fraud can be, UK consumer TV show Watchdog set up a Facebook profile for a fictional character called Amba Friend. Amba then sent out 100 friend requests to other users, of whom 35 accepted. One of her new friends,...

Kids are advertising pawns: claims that TV advertising has a bad effect on children's eating habits aren't new, but TV isn't the only medium that targets kids. A new study by the Cancer Council NSW examines the effect exposure to food advertising and marketing in magazines could have on what kids eat.(+ FOOD ADVERTISING)
February 1, 2008... The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified food marketing as a probable cause of the increase in children being overweight or obese. TV has been the main focus of concern, with print media such as children's magazines being largely...

Join the big clean-up.(Clean Up Australia Day )(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... The annual Clean Up Australia Day will be held this year on 2 March. To date, Clean Up Australia Day has collected enough waste to fill 4.7 million household wheelie bins. Do your bit for the environment by organising a Clean Up site, or...

Gym music cost to rise.(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... The cost of having music while you work out could go up by more than 3000%. The Phonographic Performance Company of Australia has applied to the Copyright Tribunal to increase the licence fees for playing songs during gym classes. The hearing...

Fluoride for Queensland water supply.
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Queensland will finally join the rest of the country in adding fluoride to its water supplies, with the aim of improving dental health. The $35 million program will see 50% of Queenslanders drinking fluoridated water...

A Touch of glass: like the iPod Classic, the iPod Touch is another step in the evolution of Apple's ubiquitous media players. Taking its name from the glossy glass widescreen touch-sensitive display, this iPod cuts the ties to your computer, using direct wireless (Wi-Fi) access to the iTunes Music Store, web browsing and internet video.(+ MEDIA PLAYER)
February 1, 2008... As you might expect, most navigation is done with a touch, swipe or flick of a finger. Or two fingers--you can resize images or web pages by simply pinching or opening your fingertips on the screen. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There are...

Classic performance.(+ MP3 PLAYER)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The APPLE iPod Classic is a smart-looking new MP3 player with a larger capacity and a wealth of features that was released--a little too late for the CHOICE Dec 2007/ Jan 2008 MP3 player test--to replace...

Mouse takes flight: looking more like a space-age remote control than a computer mouse, the MX Air Mouse works very well as an optical wireless mouse on the desktop--but pick it up and it transforms into a multimedia wand.(Logitech MX Air Rechargeable Cordless Air Mouse)(Product/service evaluation)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The package consists of a mouse, USB receiver, docking station/recharger and software DVD. Insert the receiver into a USB port, turn the mouse on and you're up and running. The mouse performed flawlessly on the...

PVRs with two tuners.(Coming)
February 1, 2008... A PVR (personal video recorder) is a digital TV tuner--or in this case two--plus a hard disc drive for recording programs. Two tuners mean you can record two different channels at the same time, or watch one channel while you record another....

Espresso machines.(Coming)
February 1, 2008... Get into the habit of drinking great coffee at home and you'll never suffer from caffeine withdrawal symptoms again. CHOICE's expert tasters find the machines that make the best-tasting coffee, and our testers check out ease of use, speed and...

Electronic photo frames.(Coming)
February 1, 2008... They're a novelty: a frame for your favourite photos that displays them one after another, in an automated slideshow. But they're not the easiest things to set up--if you give one to Grandma, make sure there's a grandson around to make it work...

Beware of ear candling/coning.(Letters & emails)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... The Deafness Forum is a peak consumer body for the Deaf and hearing-impaired. We've recently seen ads for ear candling/ coning, sent by concerned consumers. An ear candle is a narrow, hollow cone that's been soaked in beeswax or paraffin...

Digital TV "trap for the unwary".(Letters & emails)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I wanted to let your readers know of a trap not mentioned in your July 2007 article on plasma and LCD televisions. We bought .the recommended LG model and were pleased it included a digital receiver, as we wanted to...

Saving energy on standby.(Letters & emails)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... Reading the letter on wasting energy on standby in the November 2007 issue prompted me to share my own experience. I recently bought a $40 power meter to do an energy audit of my house. About a year ago, I bought a 93 cm LCD TV (HD) for a...

Hearing aid rip-off.(Letters & emails)(Letter to the editor)
February 1, 2008... After visiting two audiologists for advice about a hearing aid (one who charged nothing for the consultation and one at a private hospital that charged $230), I was appalled by the high cost of the hearing aids recommended. I started...

Paying for tap water.(LETTER OF THE MONTH)
February 1, 2008... Today at Hoyts Cinema, Erina, NSW, I asked for a a cup of tap water with my son's popcorn--no problem. Later, when I realised we'd been charged $10.95 (the same as for a popcorn and soft drink or bottled water combo), I queried the charge....

A recent experience prompted Bill Millar to give his Thumbs up to the Service Tasmania Agency in Hobart.(Thumbs up!)
February 1, 2008... A recent experience prompted Bill Millar to give his Thumbs up to the Service Tasmania Agency in Hobart. He was answered promptly after the second ring of the phone; a "real operator" quickly put him through to the proper place and there his...

Helen Hampton gives her Thumbs up to Bird Munchies, which sent her three new sunflower bells upon hearing hers had crumbled apart.(Thumbs up!)
February 1, 2008... Helen Hampton gives her Thumbs up to Bird Munchies, which sent her three new sunflower bells upon hearing hers had crumbled apart. And it let her know in writing why it thought the fault had occurred, and that it would follow it up with its...

When the benchtop attached to their five-year-old Weber kettle barbecue cracked.(Thumbs up!)
February 1, 2008... When the benchtop attached to their five-year-old Weber kettle barbecue cracked, Paddy Hodgman hadn't expected the company would send a new benchtop under warranty, but it did within a week--"impressive".

Strawberries: poor pesticide practices: our tests found pesticide residues in most conventionally grown strawberries--a few at levels that exceed the maximum acceptable limit.(Food: Strawberries)(Cover story)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We love our strawberries. They look beautiful and good ones taste delicious--but are poor practices in parts of the industry a hidden cause for concern? Strawberries are unfortunately more likely to be...

Risky home loans: with first homes averaging $430,000, interest rates on the way up and housing affordability at a record low, new types of loan seem an answer to the prayers of desperate home buyers--but are they?(Money: Home loans)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] These new loan products, described on the left, are much more risky than standard home loans. While they promise to make home buying more affordable, they all have traps. For example, with a no-deposit mortgage you...

Just skin deep? Skin cancer clinics are opening everywhere. The industry is accused of putting profit ahead of patient welfare. So are you putting yourself at risk if you use one?(Health: Skin cancer clinics)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Have you spent the summer sun worshipping? Or do you strictly slip, slop and slap? Either way, there's nothing like a long hot summer to get you thinking about your skin--or at least remembering that you ought to....

The Skype's the limit: cut your phone bill by talking over the internet. VoIP calls are now a viable alternative to a fixed landline.(Phones: VoIP)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Despite advances in technology, not much has changed with the way people talk to each other over distance since Alexander Graham Bell used the first telephone to chat to Mr Watson in 1876. The explosion of mobile...

Going grey has costs and benefits: we take you through greywater recycling options, from simple diversion to 'Class A' treatment systems.(Home: Using greywater)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] With water restrictions operating in many parts of Australia, people are looking at ways to save water or save their garden--or both. Rainwater tanks are one option--if you're getting any rainfall. Recycling...

Don't catch the travel bug: visit the world's exotic destinations without bringing home exotic diseases.(Health: Travel guide)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Australians love to travel, taking more than five million trips overseas every year. But our adventurous streak has its downside--around 20,000 cases of Australians in some form of trouble overseas are dealt with by...

Sound effects: even in the $1500-$2000 range, some home theatre systems have very disappointing sound.(Test: Home theatre systems)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Home theatre is largely about sound. Big pictures may be engaging, but to get something like a cinema experience at home, a theatre system has to deliver sensational sound--and that's not just volume. It's about...

Clean and dry? Dishwashers wash well, but not all deliver on drying performance.(Test: Dishwashers)(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We've said in the past that it's hard to get a dishwasher that does everything well, but in our test of 11 new models priced from $849-$1899, we've found some that come pretty close. All the tested models washed...

Unfolding the future: want to save 1.3 tonnes of greenhouse gases and get fit at the same time? So which folding bike is best for you?(Test: Folding bikes)(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Commuting by bike is an ideal way to fit exercise into your lifestyle, and studies show that you're more likely to maintain exercise that's built into your daily behaviour over the long term. Cycling to work could...

Driving force: GPS for cars keep getting better, with lots more features--and also cheaper.(Test: Car Global Positioning System)(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GPS (Global Positioning System) is going from strength to strength, and may yet take on the humble street directory in the popularity stakes. Our latest batch of 13 models, priced from $280 to $799, found 10 good...

Small hifi systems: some have good sound. Some even have a TV screen--great for a teenage bedroom.(Test: Micro stereo systems)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A micro system offers a simple solution for all-in-one music in small spaces. There's no hard and fast definition of a micro, but they usually have two detachable speakers and a central unit with a CD and/or DVD...

Tame your frizz and curls: do without the expense of professional styling and get smooth, sleek and dead-straight hair at home.(Test: Hair straighteners)(Buyers guide)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You can't change the genes that make your hair straight or curly, but now you can easily change the way it looks if you're unhappy with what nature's dealt you, or just want dead straight hair once in a while. ...

Best of both worlds: combine your landline and VoIP calls into one dual-mode phone.(Test: Dual-mode cordless phones)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Making local and overseas calls using the Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is considerably cheaper than using a landline--see the article on page 25 for general advice on getting into VoIP, and its limitations. On...

In the zone: is your fridge keeping your food safe?
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] To keep food safe to eat, you need to keep it chilled at below 5[degrees]C, or frozen at or below-18[degrees]C--any warmer and you significantly increase the potential for harmful bacteria growth. Measuring the...

Recalls & bans.
February 1, 2008... 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...

Debentures: unlisted, unrated and unreliable: debentures look and sound like common fixed-term deposits, but they differ markedly from prudentially regulated products offered by banks and credit unions.(+ RISKY UNREGULATED PRODUCTS)
February 1, 2008... Debentures are a way for companies to raise money from the public, to fund activities such as property developments, or to lend to companies that can't get finance from other sources. As with a fixed-term deposit, consumers invest in a...

Green claims.(environmentally sustainable products)(Brief article)
February 1, 2008... Consumers should be able to choose more environmentally sustainable products, services and businesses, without fearing false or misleading information. With this in mind, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced in...

How to use this index.(12-month index)(Table)
February 1, 2008... Air conditioners portable Oct# large split-system Nov# small split-system Jun# Airline satisfaction Jun# Anti-aging cosmetics ...

Beef-sicle.(Hard word)
February 1, 2008... Summer getting you all hot and bothered? An icy-cold McDonald's Mc0z burger could be just what's needed to beat the heat. According to the blurb on the wrapper, the snap-frozen patty is simply seasoned with a dash of salt and pepper before it's...

Getting away from it all?(Hard word)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Boy, camping's getting sophisticated these days. It seems only recently that kitchen sinks started popping up next to the four-bedroom tents (complete with separate dining room, lounge and ensuite with spa...). Now,...

Just add water?(Hard word)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Turning these dried mango pieces into a mango hedgehog and an unpeeled mango--as per the serving suggestion--would require more than just a bit of water and a good chef. A time machine, perhaps? Ditto these sultanas...

A garden in a hurry.(Hard word)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] These plants just can't wait to start flowering.

Global warming?(Hard word)
February 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It seems Sydney's Opera House is now an island. A victim of rising sea levels?