Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from June 2002

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from June 2002

Choosing a product made easier.(CHOICE Online)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... There are 23 dishwashers to choose from in our test starting on page 38. Last month we reported on 29 washing machines. While our tests can tell you which models work the best, you can't easily reorder our performance tables to show you which...

Wine online. (choice cuts).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Buying wine online is one of the most popular internet retail services, but there's also a wealth of sites around that compare wines, give tasting tips and help you choose the right wine for your meal. The following recommendations are taken...

World consumer snapshot. (choice cuts).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... GOOD NEWS FOR BAR FLIES? According to www.newscientist.com, getting drunk couldn't be easier, now Japanese researchers have developed a `clever glass' that knows when it needs a refill. A microchip senses when your drink gets low and...

One spaghetti napolitana, thanks, doc! (choice cuts).(health value of tomatoes)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Recent studies suggest that eating lots of tomatoes and tomato-based products may help protect men against prostate cancer. One such study, reported in May's CHOICE Health Reader, found that men who ate tomato-based pasta sauces at least twice...

Shopping rights for remote and indigenous communities. (choice cuts).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... You'd probably be horrified by the idea of leaving a debit card (keycard) and/or PIN number, social security cheque or bank passbook with a retailer as security for credit. However, it's not uncommon practice in many rural and remote indigenous...

User guide to finance brokers. (choice cuts).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... When you need a loan for a house, car or some other big outlay, does the prospect of trawling through dozens of loan products to find the best deal seem just too hard? In the last few years, more and more mortgage and finance brokers have...

ACCC: internet no excuse for sloppy trading. (choice cuts).(Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... The risks of buying online were highlighted by the recent case of NSW-based bicycle importer and internet retailer Easybuy.com.au (trading as Bikes Direct)--a company with no shopfront, which advertised bikes on TV and on its website, then...

Twice the excess. (your letters: this month brings some insurance gripes).
June 1, 2002... On December 28 last year I broke my left little toe. Unfortunately it was a bad fracture, so I had to have two wires put into the toe to keep it in place. The operation took place in a private hospital, and I was told to come back four weeks...

Outsourcing loss assessment. (your letters: this month brings some insurance gripes).
June 1, 2002... I'd like to bring to your readers' attention my experience in dealing with a claim with one of your top-rated home insurance companies. The company outsourced its loss assessment to an outside group. In fact, all communications and money...

Thumbs up. (your letters: this month brings some insurance gripes).
June 1, 2002... * "In times when contemporary service is often not up to expectations, I think RHEEM (SOUTHCORP) can take a well deserved bow," says Roger Burbage of Como, WA. When he found his electric water heater in urgent need of replacement one very...

Are we eating crook chook? Food industry practices are contributing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. (Food: chicken).(vancomycin-resistant enterococci)(related article: The Big Picture)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... Essential life-saving antibiotics are becoming less effective as bacteria become resistant to them. Today we're faced with a number of infectious bacteria that are resistant to almost all known antibiotics. Although misuse and overuse of...

Scamwatch website. (word on the street: the buzz on what's new and happening in the marketplace).(www.scamwatch.gov.au)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... If you've ever been scammed, it's a small comfort to know that you're not alone. A new website, www.scamwatch.gov.au, is the initiative of various state and federal government agencies, designed to highlight some of the more common scams in...

What's new with digital cameras? (word on the street: the buzz on what's new and happening in the marketplace).(Foveon X3 semiconductor technology)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... Every so often in the world of hi-tech an innovation changes the direction of the entire market. Foveon X3 technology could do this for digital cameras. Most of the better-quality non-professional digital cameras use a silicon chip called...

Uniquely interesting water. (word on the street: the buzz on what's new and happening in the marketplace).(Unique Water, Australia)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... All it took was an article in the main Sydney weekend paper by a journo who swears by the stuff, curiously timed to coincide with the date UNIQUE WATER became available by the case at a Sydney drink company, and hey, presto! There were queues...

The power of choice: if you live in NSW or Victoria, you can now choose who to buy your electricity from. Should you switch or stay with your current retailer? (Update: electricity and gas).(Australia)(Directory)
June 1, 2002... Which phone company are you using these days? Even if it is still Telstra, chances are you've looked at competitors' offers at some point, or been approached by a door-to-door or telemarketing salesperson trying to lure you away from the once...

Start your own bank: fed up with your bank, or your branch has closed? Copy other communities and start your own. (Money: banking).(Australia)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... It's a story happening all over Australia: "We lost our last bank branch about two years ago. There's still a small agency at the post office but of course it's not the same," says Elizabeth from Murrumbeena in Melbourne. Elizabeth travels...

Taking charge: most households have a few things that run on batteries. Powering them with rechargeables helps your wallet and the environment. (Test: rechargeable batteries).(Buyers Guide)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... Listening to your personal CD player on the daily commute or keeping the kids entertained with motorised toys can chew through lots of batteries. If a bulk pack of them is a regular item on your shopping list, it's worth trying rechargeables...

What does fortified mean? (food bites).(vitamins or minerals added to processed food)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Fortified food's had vitamins or minerals added to it that weren't naturally present, or they're added to boost the amount that's there already. The Food Standards Code only allows certain foods to be fortified by particular vitamins and...

Not all fish are equal. (food bites).(oily types promote good health)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... All fish is good food, but only the oily types like salmon, sardines and tuna can help improve heart health and may also help with problems like arthritis and asthma.

Just feed your kids fat and sugar ... (food bites).(Nutella)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2002... An alert subscriber sent us an ad for NUTELLA hazelnut spread, which describes it as "a wholesome and nutritious meal or snack that kids love". It's hardly surprising kids love it: it's got 11 g of sugar (which is 55% of its total...

Orange juice with a twist. (food bites).(Australian Fresh Plus)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Those clever guys over at AUSTRALIAN FRESH have come up with a new product--AUSTRALIAN FRESH Plus. The label looks almost the same as their popular 100% orange juice, but with a twist: these juices have added calcium (or iron or vitamins A, C...

Cold comfort: do alternative cold treatments work? We went looking for evidence ... and we're still searching. (Health: cold `cures').
June 1, 2002... The colds season is upon us again, and with it the search for the golden panacea. Casting aside the conventional decongestants, expectorants and ephedrine `feel-good' pills, many people prefer to go alternative, with popular remedies including...

Disposable razors: which ones cut it? Our Home Testers tried 23 to see if you need to pay a lot for a good one. (User trial: disposable razors).(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... If you believe their ads, some disposable razors are more high-tech than the average space shuffle. But have you ever wondered if pivoting heads, rubber grip handles, lubricating strips and those little plastic cleaning thingies that push hairs...

Dishwashing made easy: tired of washing your dishes by hand, or thinking of updating your old dishwasher? Here's the latest on 23 models. (Update: dishwashers).(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... What's better than chocolate and port to round off a good home-cooked meal? A dishwasher, of course, that takes care of your dishes while you enjoy the rest of the evening. We tested six new models, and most of those we checked out last...

Microwave ovens: FAQ: we answer your questions about microwave safety, the effects on food and how to cook effectively in one. (Frequently Asked Questions).
June 1, 2002... How do microwave ovens work? Microwave radiation is generated in an electronic tube called a magnetron, and passes along what's called a waveguide into the oven cavity. The microwaves are reflected by metal, can pass through glass, paper,...

Mini micros: you may have trouble fitting a large chicken or casserole dish into one of these ovens, but they could be fine for a small household. (Test: microwave ovens).(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... On test: six microwaves with a 20-25 litre capacity--the most popular size these days. Although small, they have a reasonable number of cooking programs. All those tested have auto-defrost functions and most have automatic cooking and reheating...

Transfer your balance, lose interest-free days. (hip pocket).(credit cards)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... When Peter Flanagan received the first statement on his new Visa card he was puzzled: "Interest was charged on a cash advance, but I knew I hadn't made one," he says. After studying Peter's statement we found that he'd transferred the...

WESTPAC cash advance fee hike. (hip pocket).(Westpac Banking Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... While we're on the subject, WESTPAC credit cardholders can face higher charges for cash advances (depending on the amount), following a decision by the bank to levy a 1.5% fee per advance (with a minimum charge of $2.50) from June 1, 2002. ...

Major coup for mums and dads. (hip pocket).(small investor wins misrepresentation case against Hartleys)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Three cheers for the lawyer who took on major stockbroking firm Hartleys (formerly Hartley Poynton) in the Victorian Supreme Court recently and won over $1 million damages for a small investor. The landmark judgment found that the broker...

Love your paperwork. (hip pocket).(protecting investments)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2002... Easier said than done, but it may avoid getting into trouble. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) recommends never giving a financial adviser total control of your investments. It advises you to: * Keep all...

Recalls & bans.(list of products)(Directory)
June 1, 2002... 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, try your local library, or...