Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from January 2002

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from January 2002

Your privacy, your choice?(new private-sector Privacy Act)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... People value their privacy. Research by the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner in July 2001 showed that for the majority of people, respect for personal information ranked equal to quality of product. The same research showed that...

Choice shopper. (Update).(shopping service)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Since Choice Shopper was launched at the beginning of October, we've had a strong response from subscribers. Choice Shopper is our new free service to shop for you and save you money. Most people who tried the service were interested in...

Big-screen home theatre. (choice cuts).(Sony Cineza VPL-HS1)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
January 1, 2002... If a home theatre with pictures projected on a wall or screen sounds appealing, a product like the SONY Cineza VPL-HS1 home cinema projector could be what you're looking for. At just under $6000 it's not cheap, but there aren't many similar...

Vegies the best protection against bowel cancer. (choice cuts).(medical research, Switzerland)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... The link between fibre and bowel cancer was made over 40 years ago, when it was discovered that in parts of Africa where they have a high-fibre diet, bowel cancer is rare. For some aspects of good health, it's likely all fibre is...

Porridge for performance. (World Consumer Snapshot).(male sex drive)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Our Austrian consumer counterpart reported recently on Sex Activa -- a product derived from Avena sativa (rolled oats) that's claimed to improve male performance. Konsument writes that oats have long been known for their digestive...

Short but not sweet. (World Consumer Snapshot).(new slang terms for consumers)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... From Ireland's Consumer Choice come a few trendy terms used to describe `new-generation consumers' -- spawned by the rapidly changing world of IT. Spicing up consumer representation these days are `blandies', who talk loudly of work, money...

Drown them drunk. (World Consumer Snapshot).(drown snails in beer)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... From German Test magazine comes a modification of an old idea for tackling snails: collect them by hand and then drown them in beer. In response to a Test article that mentioned `beer traps' for snails, a reader wrote to suggest the above...

Can you help? (choice cuts).
January 1, 2002... Branch closures and community banks Has your local bank branch closed? Have you had any experience with a community bank? If so, CHOICE would like to hear from you. Please tell us: * How did you cope with your bank branch closing? Did...

Digital camcorders: choice, November 2001. (Update).(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2002... On page 18 we said you can't connect an external microphone to either of the JVC models tested. Hagemeyer, the Australian distributor for JVC camcorders, has informed us since publication that you can buy a specific JVC external microphone for...

Toxin in some apple juice. (choice cuts).(patulin research, Australia)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... Patulin is a toxin produced in some fruit by various moulds. It can end up in juice when, for example, mouldy or rotten apples are used; apparently good-quality apples can also be affected near the core. Eleven years ago the NSW health...

Something about Philip? (choice cuts).(Philip Morris Companies Inc. and Philips Lighting Co.)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... The following reports of slips-of-the-tongue by company representatives come from our sister magazine in the US, Consumer Reports. * Philip Morris officials in the Czech Republic distributed an economic analysis concluding that, "... the...

Corrections.(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2002... GENERIC DBUGS + CHOICE CST CHOICE, November 2001 On page 5 we said that if you take vitamin Kyou should stop seven days prior to any surgery. Instead you should tell all doctors you consult that you're taking vitamin K, as it can...

GM worries. (your letters).
January 1, 2002... I read with concern a newspaper report that supermarkets and food producers have backed the Prime Minister's so-called compromise on labelling foods containing genetically modified ingredients. Mr Howard wants labels that tell us if food...

Letter of the month. (your letters).
January 1, 2002... We want to hear from you -- your experiences help our research and often let other readers know about scares and rip-offs. To thank you for writing to us, Your Letters awards a prize of a CHOICE book to the `Letter of the month'. This month's...

Thumbs up.(customer care)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... * From Mrs Mary Mittiga, in St Mary's, NSW, a big thumbs-up to Breville, which posted a part to her at no charge, although her appliance was over 20 years old. Another bouquet to the company comes from Chris Greenough, via Internet, who...

Cooling tips. (your letters).
January 1, 2002... Thank you for your list of options for cooling a home (October 2001, A really cool home). Another method I remember from the US is the use of `attic fans', which should work well in most parts of Australia. As the process doesn't require...

Food fabulous food: if you've ever flicked through the pages of a glossy food magazine or drooled over the gastro-porn in the latest cookbook, you've seen what a food stylist can do. But how do they get that fabulous, luscious look that says "Eat me"? (Food: advertising).
January 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * Seeing's definitely not believing: here's why food never looks like the photo on the package when you cook and serve it. To the uninitiated, the lengths to which food stylists go to make food look perfect may be...

Take the puzzle out of investing: managed funds put your money into a range of investments, letting you spread the risk over different markets. Best of all, you don't have to become an instant expert. (Money: investments).(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * Managed funds let you buy investments you might not be able to afford on your own, by pooling your money with that of many other investors. * With over 3000 managed funds, though, it's hard to make a choice. We looked...

Cots -- still not safe: our tests show, once again, that you can't rely on even a mandatory standard to deliver cots that are safe. (Test: cots).(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * Only one out of nine cots tested can be fully recommended: three years after the cots standard was made mandatory, failures still abound. * Three cots failed more than one safety test * Four more had no major...

Sparkling showers the easy way? "Spray and go", "no scrub again" unfortunately don't mean you'll never clean the shower again. (Test: shower cleaners).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * If you use it daily, a spray-and-go shower cleaner is claimed to prevent mould and soap scum build-up and make scrubbing a thing of the past. Some of CHOICE's Home Testers gave them a workout. * Overall, they all worked...

Food irradiation -- no worries? Not quite ...: food irradiation's back on the public agenda after the first approval for its use here. Should we be worried? Here are the pros and cons. (Food: update).(Australia, European Union)
January 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * The pros of irradiation are fairly clearcut, whereas the cons are more open-ended: more evidence is needed, or there's just the potential for things to go wrong. But that's no reason to ignore them -- look what happened...

Inkjet refills: cheaper than brand-name cartridges, simple -- what's the catch? (Computing Choice).(computer printers)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * `Compatible' cartridges and refills are certainly cheaper, but they're not problem-free. If you have an inkjet printer, you're likely to have had a shock over the price of your recommended replacement cartridges: for...

High-octane petrol: better performance! Improved fuel efficiency! Will high-octane petrol really do this for your car? (Drivelines).
January 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * High-octane fuels may improve your car's performance and fuel efficiency, but are also more expensive, so the increased fuel efficiency isn't likely to save you money. While filling your car you may have come across...

Phones to go: whether you want a basic phone or one with many features, there's one in our test for you. (Test: cordless phones).(11 models compared)(Evaluation)
January 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * Most models performed well. There are lots of features and options, so buy according to your needs -- see What to look for, page 32. * Some models have quite limited talk times. If this is particularly important to...

Did you know ... (foodbites).(one small chocolate bar per week can add 3.5 kg to body weight in one year)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... To put on weight, you might think you have to eat a lot more food than your body needs. In fact one Small chocolate bar a week above what your body needs could increase your weight by 3.5 kg in a year. What to do? A combination of eating...

Tip: safe lunchboxes. (foodbites).(frozen drink bottle will lessen bacteria growth)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... It's back-to-school time, and to stop the bacteria having a field day in the lunchbox, put in a frozen drink bottle wrapped in plastic. It'll keep the sandwiches colder and at least slow down bacterial growth, and will have thawed by the time...

Where's the yoghurt? (foodbites).(dried fruit, muesli and health bars alert)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... We all know yoghurt's generally a healthy food, so dried fruit covered in yoghurt sounds even better, right? Well, maybe, if what you're eating is actually yoghurt. Unfortunately, too often what you get is a concoction of fat (usually...

Is `food combining' claptrap? (foodbites).(weight loss diet)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... Have you come across diets saying you should only eat foods in certain combinations? The right combinations are supposed to lead to better digestion and a higher level of health. The `wrong' ones -- such as carbohydrate and protein foods in the...

Update: washing machines: here are our best-performing and best-value washing machines for 2001. (Test: washing machines).(Statistical Data Included)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2002... MORE INFORMATION For what to look for in a washing machine, see CHOICE, March 2001, or go to our website: www.choice.com.au (click on Washing machines in `Top 10 reports'). If you don't have a copy of the March issue or Web access, send a...

Basic VCRs: these basic video players offer few frills but most of the thrills -- including a pretty decent picture. (Test: mono VCRs).(video cassette recorders ratings)(Statistical Data Included)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * The picture quality of the 14 two-head mono VCRs on test isn't noticeably inferior to four-head VCRs -- at least when playing tapes at normal speed. Slow and fast play and still aren't so good. * The sound quality is...

Paying for the inconvenience: what are your rights when you call a mechanic to fix your car or an appliance? (Your Rights).(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... What's worse than finding out your car has gearbox and clutch problems and you can't drive it any more without causing further damage? Getting a repairer to check it out, drive it (against your wishes) `to death' and then being charged $100 for...

Recalls & bans.
January 1, 2002... If you find a recall or ban not on our list, please let us know. Companies often rent 1800 numbers for a couple of months after the recall is announced, lithe number given is no longer operating, phone the manufacturer or retailer direct. ...

www.choice.com.au.(Brief Article)
January 1, 2002... HAPPY NEW YEAR Is your new year's resolution to get your finances in order (again)? Use our online tools to help sort things out. These are some of the new ones. HOME AND CONTENTS INSURANCE SELECTOR Simply type in a few basic...

Hard word.(food industry, nutritional information and advertising, Australia)(Brief Article)(Column)(Statistical Data Included)
January 1, 2002... Eau de chook pooh Our reader, Ruth, cut this label off a bag of fertiliser -- she couldn't send us the whole thing because, as she pointed out, it's "a bit on the nose". The fragrance is natural, all right -- chicken manure being a natural...