Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from July 2006

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from July 2006

Health insurance premium increases.(Correction notice)
July 1, 2006... CHOICE, May 2006 On page 8 we said the Private Health Insurance Administration Council (PHIAC) approves health insurance premium increases. In fact PHIAC scrutinises premium increase applications by health funds and gives advice to the...

Sandwich presses.(CORRECTION)(Correction notice)
July 1, 2006... CHOICE, May 2006 The table on page 28 said the BELLE Stainless Steel Sandwich Press SP2 doesn't have cord storage; in fact it does. In addition, the BELLE is distributed only by SAAB Appliances, not by several distributors, contrary to...

DVD/hard disc recorders.(CORRECTION)(Correction notice)
July 1, 2006... CHOICE, May 2006 * The Which formats? table on page 21 should have listed the PANASONIC DRM-EH50 as being able to record on DVD+R discs. * Footnote (B) for the same table should have said, "None [of the tested models] can record on...

A consumer's tale.(Lisa from Australia)
July 1, 2006... When Lisa, of Lewisham in Sydney, saw an expensive mobile phone at Hong Kong airport priced much lower than she'd paid in the city for the same phone, she knew at once she'd been "sucked in". "I had regrets straightaway," she says. But her...

Taking the tedium out of shopping.(CHOICE SHOPPER: best value)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Looking for a fridge, washing machine, camera or TV? While we do our best every month to provide you with our latest test results to make your choice of product easier, hitting the shops and comparing prices can be tedious and time-consuming....

Fish to dye for?(cruelty on fishes)
July 1, 2006... We were recently contacted by Mel, a fish hobbyist, who alerted us to some questionable pet shop practices she'd observed. Mel had seen imported dyed freshwater fish for sale in some pet shops. She believes they'd undergone a cruel dyeing...

More options for older workers.
July 1, 2006... For the last 30 years Bill, 58, has worked for a large multinational company. His job was interesting and well paid but it was also quite stressful with long hours. Bill wanted a change in lifestyle so recently started a part-time job with...

An oxymoron?(OXYGEN4LIFE enhances body)
July 1, 2006... Feeling tired? Run down? Flat? A product called OXYGEN4LIFE claims that drinking 10 mL of its "bio-available oxygen" once or twice a day will "keep your body topped up with oxygen" and give you "enhanced quality of life". The promotional...

More insulation advice.
July 1, 2006... Your article about insulation (CHOICE, May 2006) included several quotes from people who'd had bad experiences with installers. Another thing to watch out for is electricians doing work in the roof after installation. If they need access to...

Who's responsible?(Letter to the editor)
July 1, 2006... I purchased an iPod Nano from Bing Lee in November 2005 for my son's Christmas present. After having user difficulties with it we followed the directions to reset it, then tried other troubleshooting prompts but this didn't rectify the...

Jill Bennet told us about her experience with Jetstar, which she thinks deserves a 'Thumbs up'.(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Jill Bennet told us about her experience with Jetstar, which she thinks deserves a 'Thumbs up'. She booked flights for her mother from Sydney to Launceston with the airline. Later, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and was unable to...

Martin Pogson would like to award ACT Doorland a 'Thumbs up' for fixing his garage roller-door without charging him a cent.(THUMBS UP!)(Brief article)
July 1, 2006... Martin Pogson would like to award ACT Doorland a 'Thumbs up' for fixing his garage roller-door without charging him a cent, even though it was nine months past the warranty period.

Scammed! They're infinitely creative and often highly entertaining ... as long as you're not one of those sucked in.
July 1, 2006... Are you sick of working for a living? Like to make millions from your own living room? Feeling lucky? Then why not try one of these popular get-rich-quick scams? You've got nothing to lose but the clothes off your back. We look at some of...

All in a lather: our trialists checked out shampoos from supermarket shelves to salubrious salons.(Cover story)
July 1, 2006... Different shampoos claim to make your hair stronger, shinier, more voluminous or bouncier, but its main purpose is to clean your hair. You can pick up a bottle from the supermarket for a few dollars, pay top dollar for an exclusive salon...

Spitting the dummy: with half the tested dummies failing safety requirements, we think it's time the Australian standard became mandatory.(TEST: Dummies)
July 1, 2006... While some babies don't take to them, for others dummies are a source of comfort and security. Non-nutritive sucking is a natural activity for babies. Sucking on a dummy may also help settle an infant's reflux or even ease the pain of teething....

A fashionable way to lose money? Negative gearing is sometimes promoted as an easy way to profit from residential property, but is that just property marketers' positive spin?(MONEY: Negative gearing)
July 1, 2006... Investing in residential property has obvious appeals--it can provide an income through rents, there's the potential for big capital gains when property markets boom, and for many people 'bricks and mortar' feel safer and more tangible than...

Anything bugging you? Are the 'friendly bacteria' in probiotic yoghurts and drinks good for your health--or is the hype ahead of the science?(REPORT: Probiotics)
July 1, 2006... Yoghurts, drinks and other products containing large numbers of live friendly' bacteria are promoted as the be-all and end-all of good digestion: "Rich in a unique blend of 3 Active Cultures which can help maintain inner digestive health and...

Top internet savings accounts.(hip pocket)(Statistical table)
July 1, 2006... Traditionally, to get the highest savings rate from a bank you'd need to commit your money to a term deposit, but that was before the best online savings accounts started paying just as much. Most banks and a range of credit unions offer...

Relaxed driving? Navigation systems for cars promise to guide you stress-free to almost anywhere in Australia. How good are they?(TEST: Portable car navigation systems)
July 1, 2006... "Left. LEFT! You should have turned LEFT, idiot--I mean, RIGHT!" How many happy relationships have been destroyed when it came to navigating a car to an unknown destination, equipped with only a partner and a street directory? When left brain...

Wall to wall choices: the basics of buying a wall-to-wall carpet.(BUYING GUIDE: Carpet)
July 1, 2006... "It's much easier for me to make major life, multimillion dollar decisions, than it is to decide on a carpet for my front porch. That's the truth." Oprah Winfrey. Oprah isn't the only one to find choosing a carpet a major decorating...

Airbags = safety: side and head airbags generally provide excellent crash protection. So why aren't they standard equipment in all cars?(Australian New Car Assessment Program)
July 1, 2006... The Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has released more high-speed crash test results for a number of car models in various categories. The tests were carried out in Australia and Europe. We've added a number of other models...

Hearing aid basics: the types of hearing aid available, the costs, assistance and advice you're likely to encounter when looking for one, and the things to look out for.(REPORT: Buying a hearing aid)
July 1, 2006... Do you have to turn up the volume when you're watching TV, have problems understanding your mates in the pub or think people around you mumble? All these are some of the early signs of hearing loss--the most common physical condition in...

Protein's pulling power: build muscle, perform better and recover faster are just some of the promises of protein products. But do we really need them?(REPORT: Protein bars and drinks)
July 1, 2006... Tubs of powdered protein supplements have long been associated with hard-core body builders and athletes of the elite variety, but the audience for protein products is getting broader. Mainstream gyms have regular promotions of ready-to-eat...

Getting the dishes done: two of the 14 newly tested dishwashers stand out from the rest.(REPORT: Dishwashers)(Statistical table)
July 1, 2006... When buying kitchen appliances, people are not only looking at performance but increasingly at their impact on the environment. So it's hardly surprising that manufacturers try to produce ever more energy and water-efficient whitegoods....

Recalls & bans.(Target Australia recalls cushions)(Arlec Australia recalls 1.00 mm core fiat electrical cable)(Briggs & Stratton Corp. recalls generator model no. BSQ4500)
July 1, 2006... 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...