Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from January 2005

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from January 2005

Cot safety is taking too long.(Editorial)
January 1, 2005... Five out of 10 cots passed all the standard's safety requirements in our latest test (page 28). That's not very good--after all, if a cot doesn't pass, legally it shouldn't be on sale--but it's an improvement on previous results. In the test...

Update.(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Washing machines. CHOICE, September 2004 In this article, based on manufacturer information we listed the WHIRLPOOL AWM 5100's price as $782 and the WHIRLPOOL Sixth Sense AWM 8121's as $968. The manufacturer has now told us the...

Hearts, compost and chocolates.(choice cuts)(Plantic)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Here's a Valentine's day story everyone can enjoy: by choosing chocolates and biscuits from certain companies you could not only win a heart, but also help preserve the environment. How? Because they're packaged in eco-friendly PLANTIC, a new...

Action taken on unsafe stoves.(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Following our recent article exposing the problem of stoves tipping over (CHOICE, November 2004), we received feedback from consumers who'd checked their old stove and found it wasn't stable. Now we're pleased to see ELECTROLUX HOME PRODUCTS,...

Speeding and other traffic fines.(Can you help?)
January 1, 2005... If you've been fined or cautioned for speeding or any other traffic offence we'd like to hear from you: * If you were let off with a caution, what were the circumstances? If you were fined: * Please outline the circumstances and...

Plasma TV sellers hide their light.(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... In October 2004 the NSW Office of Fair Trading commissioned a shopping exercise in retail outlets around Sydney and Newcastle. What they found should stand as a warning to anyone considering buying a plasma TV. Around one in three shoppers...

Learn resuscitation--save lives.(choice cuts)
January 1, 2005... Summer, heat, pool... fun and laughter should come next, but for far too many families each year, the backyard pool brings death and tragedy. Although in the last financial year the number of toddler drownings in Australia was down by 26%...

When prices start from ...(choice cuts)
January 1, 2005... When you see a travel deal advertised with a price "from $460", you wouldn't expect it in fact to cost you $939, more than twice the advertised price, would you? One of our Sydney readers told us he saw what looked like a great offer...

Electric shavers.(Correction)(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2005... CHOICE, November 2004 In this article we said you can't charge the BRAUN Activator 8585 shaver without its cleaning and charging station. In fact you can charge this shaver directly from the mains, though its instructions don't make this...

How has choice changed your life?(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... OK, so maybe it wasn't that dramatic. But has something you read in CHOICE affected your life or habits in any way, large or small? For example, when we asked around the CHOICE office, a large number of staff now use DUO, the Best Buy...

Losing calories while you shop.(World Consumer Snapshot)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Shoppers at Tesco in the UK can now keep track of the calories they burn while pushing a reluctant trolley through the supermarket aisles, reports the UK consumer magazine Which?: "A trolley that's hard to push so you can burn more fat--Tesco's...

Condoms to get her.(World Consumer Snapshot)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... German words can be rather long and often need to be split at the end of a line, especially in narrow magazine columns. But you need to know what you're doing when you split a foreign-language word--a hyphen inserted at the wrong spot can...

Buzz off!(World Consumer Snapshot)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... If you've ever wondered why some people seem to attract mosquitoes more than others, the US Consumer Reports on Health offers some advice. Some people apparently emit or wear more substances bugs love. Carbon dioxide, body heat, odour and...

TV screens and optimal viewing distance.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... In your article on widescreen TVs (CHOICE, October 2004) you mention the optimum distance for viewing is five times the diagonal measurement. However, this applies to standard TVs with a 4:3 aspect ratio; for a 16:9 aspect ratio this is more...

Acne treatment bleaching blues.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... After reading your story on acne treatments (CHOICE, August 2004), in which you recommend products with the active ingredient benzoyl peroxide, I thought I should share with you my recent experience with a 5% benzoyl peroxide acne treatment...

Thumbs up!(your letters)
January 1, 2005... * Artist Thomas Gengenbach of Glen Waverley, Victoria, discovered a tube of 'burnt sienna' oil paint was a different colour and consistency from the previous tubes he'd bought--and he had a half-finished masterpiece in progress. The...

Want a camera with that? New mobile phone models are packed with features and functions you may love--or never use.(Test: mobile phones)(Product/Service Evaluation)(Cover Story)
January 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * On test: 38 GSM phones. * Taking and sending photos by phone is the new must-have and most new phones can now do it (28 in this test), so we've included a picture quality score in our overall rating. * Most of them...

New system to resolve financial disputes.(hip pocket)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Since August 2004 the Financial Industry Complaints Service (FICS) has had a new system for mediating between consumers and its members to attempt to resolve financial disputes. The new service is designed to handle complaints that can be...

How we get our cash.(hip pocket)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Just for interest, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) research has provided some insight into the way we access our money. We're four times more likely to get cash from an ATM than via EFFPOS, and the average withdrawal from an ATM is $169 as...

Want more money info?(hip pocket)
January 1, 2005... CHOICE Money & Rights magazine is published six times a year and contains more information on money topics (and your consumer rights) than we could ever fit into CHOICE. To subscribe call 1800 069 552 toll-free or go to www.choice.com.au/...

Faulty investment prospectuses.(hip pocket)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... You'd expect companies offering investments to understand what's required to provide sufficient information for potential investors to make informed decisions, but it seems not all do. During the 2003/04 financial year, a total of $2.2 billion...

A good spread: we pick the healthiest spreads for your breakfast toast and lunchtime sandwiches.(Food: butter and spreads)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * For the healthiest choice, look for a spread that's low in saturated and trans fats. We found plenty to choose from--see Healthy choices, below. * Olive oil spreads contain a lot less actual olive oil than you might...

In pursuit of a Hollywood smile? If you're pinning your hopes on DIY whitening products for a Hollywood smile, you might be disappointed.(User trial: whitening toothpaste)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * 55% of the people in our trial noticed a difference after using a whitening toothpaste for a month, but for most, the difference was small. Only WHITE GLO Extra Strength Whitening Toothpaste Professional Choice produced...

Lunchbox lessons: you want healthy, your kids want cool for school--we guide you through the peaks and pitfalls of kids' lunchboxes.(Food: Kid's lunches and snacks)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * It's important for children to eat healthily, and variety and balance are key. Build a tasty, nutritious lunch by including starchy food, protein food, some dairy food, fruit and veg and a drink. See What makes a healthy...

Safe for your baby? Of 10 cots on test, only half passed Australian standard safety tests.(Test: Cots)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * On test: 10 cots costing between $400 and $500. * Only five out of 10 cots passed all the mandatory safety requirements of the Australian standard, but that's an improvement on many of our previous tests. * What to...

Storing it: we take stock of disposable food storage options.(Test: food storage)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * Disposable food storage containers, bags and covers are good value for money, although how long they'll last depends on what you do with them. Using them for microwaving fatty or sugary foods can cause significant wear and...

Does green clean? Dishwashers are becoming more energy and water-efficient, but are they sacrificing performance for eco-cred?(Update: dishwashers)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * We tested eight new dishwashers, three of which are recommended in our What to buy list (page 37). * Very good drying performance usually comes at the price of lower energy efficiency. * Most dishwashers wash well...

Room for improvement: many digital camcorders still don't take full advantage of the technology.(Test: digital camcorders)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * On test: 24 digital camcorders costing around $700 to $2400. * Only the top performers provide picture quality comparable to DVDs. * The built-in microphone often records the camcorder's running noises. Using an...

Every cloud has a silver lining.(food bites)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2005... Q. I've noticed o cloudy coating on grapes and blueberries that I can't seem to wash off. Is it pesticides, and if so, is there any way to get rid of it? A. Don't worry: the coating is a safe, natural part of the fruit. Known as the...

Presto chango--pork is beef.(food bites)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... CHOICE has looked at the issue of meat substitution and illegal preservative use in mince in the past, but now the NSW Food Authority has weighed in, checking over 50 butcher shops in Sydney and the Hunter Valley and finding big problems for...

Goodies to granny's.(food bites)
January 1, 2005... The wolf wasn't the only thing Little Red Riding Hood should have been worried about, according to a warning from the Food Safety Information Council (FSIC). Making her elderly relative ill with food poisoning should have crossed her mind too....

Recalls & bans.
January 1, 2005... 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...