Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from June 2009

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from June 2009

Food labelling laws under threat.(Comment)
June 1, 2009... Australian consumers have been waiting 16 years for a vital food labelling standard that will help protect them against misleading and unsubstantiated health claims made by food companies. Unfortunately, we have to wait a while longer, as the...

Slap on the wrist for Westpac: the banking giant responds to ASIC's concerns about its potentially deceptive marketing of the Westpac Choice account.(ADVERTISING)
June 1, 2009... ASIC will also conduct a 'health check' of the term-deposit market. Westpac has come under the spotlight as the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) adds resources to its monitoring of advertising of banking products. ...

Free ride for pesticides: McDonald's is taking action to cut the levels of pesticide residues in its fries--but only in the us, not Australia.(PESTICIDES IN FOOD)
June 1, 2009... Kicked into action by some major corporate shareholders, the McDonald's Corporation in the US has agreed to carry out a survey of pesticide use by its American potato growers. The fast-food giant has also agreed to promote best practice in...

Protect against genetic discrimination: know where to complain if you're refused insurance for the wrong reasons.(INSURANCE)
June 1, 2009... Most people who felt discriminated against by a life insurance company because of a genetic test result didn't know where to take their complaint. That's one of the findings of a recently published verification study. The collaborative study,...

Shelf time proves risky: green tea has long been prized for its antioxidants, but new research suggests even short-term storage drastically reduces its health benefits.(TEA ANTIOXIDANTS)
June 1, 2009... Just six months in the pantry could be enough to destroy nearly 90% of antioxidants in some tea, according to a recent US study, The finding follows growing evidence that antioxidants--particularly a class of compounds called catechins--in tea...

Domestic air travel.(CHOICE FORUM OF THE MONTH)
June 1, 2009... Domestic air travel With the growth of budget airlines, domestic air travel has never been so affordable. But many members who responded to our domestic airline satisfaction survey story (CHOICE, April 2009) have been put off by credit card...

Correction: Breakfast cereals, May 2009.(Consumer news)(Correction notice)
June 1, 2009... On page 23, we said that Kellogg's Just Right Original. is high in salt. This is incorrect. Kellogg's Just Right Original is, in fact, low in salt with only 30mg of sodium per 100g. In Using the Table, page 24, the criterion for a red light...

Free TV, but nothing new: will consumers really be free to view what they want in the digital TV future?(FREE-TO-AIR TV)
June 1, 2009... Many people have seen ads for the digital TV switchover and the "Freeview" service, and TV sets with a Freeview label will soon start to appear in stores. But do consumers need to upgrade to enjoy free-to-air digital channels? ...

GreenPower reversal.(Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... In CHOICE, April 2009, we outlined why the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme failed consumers. Since then, the federal government has tweaked the legislation to make GreenPower purchases "additional" to emissions reductions that would have...

Skype on the iPhone.
June 1, 2009... iPhone users can now Skype, the free application that lets you make phone calls over the internet. They will be able to make free calls and send instant messages to other Skype users, as well as low-cost calls to mobiles and landlines in Wi-Fi...

TiVo package.
June 1, 2009... TiVo's latest upgrade makes storing programs on your computer possible if your TiVo is getting full, although it's slow when converting files and not as easy to use as the TiVo itself. Watching your own videos or pictures on your TV may be...

All that glitters? Gold is supposed to be a safe haven in uncertain times, but will it lose its shine?(Money matters)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As shares and property crashed and the world nudged closer to recession, canny investors steadily turned their attention to one of the world's oldest asset classes: gold. In the past year, investment markets...

Make a budget.(Money matters)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... The first step to managing your finances is to make a budget. Our online calculator at www.choice. com.au/budget with help you compare your income with your household expenses, including fixed and variable costs, as well as discretionary...

Energy efficient, cost restrictive: a six star energy-efficient dryer is now on the market, but you'll have to dig deep upfront to pay for reducing your carbon footprint.(ENERGY EFFICIENT DRYER)
June 1, 2009... A clothes dryer with a six-star energy rating has been a long time coming, and the Miele EcoComfort is the only dryer in Australia with this claim. In contrast to normal vented and condenser dryers, which use a resistive heating element to...

Super small, super concentrated: do small packets of super-concentrated laundry detergent give the same number of washes as their bigger brothers?(LAUNDRY DETERGENTS)
June 1, 2009... CHOICE members asked us to compare laundry detergent doses among newly released super-concentrates. In the past six months detergent packets, and the doses, have been getting smaller, thanks to super-concentrated powder. Super-concentrates are...

Back-up lifeline for your PC: don't let a blackout destroy your unsaved work.(UNINTERRUPTIBLE POWER SUPPLIES)
June 1, 2009... A UPS is designed to provide short-term backup power and won't keep you working through a blackout. Whether caused by a blackout or accidentally kicking out a plug, an unexpected loss of power to your PC can cause it to crash, losing any...

Digital radios.(Coming)
June 1, 2009... Digital radio broadcasts are already underway in major capital cities, and if the marketers are to be believed digital radios will provide excellent sound quality and a raft of new features and benefits. We find out if all the hype is...

Dishwashers.(Coming)
June 1, 2009... Slimline dishwashers are compact and can fit neatly under a benchtop--handy for people with small kitchens. But are they kinder to the environment compared with washing dishes by hand? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Juicers.(Coming)
June 1, 2009... These days you can't step more than a few metres beyond your front door before seeing a funky juice bar. CHOICE discovers how the convenience of purchasing pre-made juices compares in cost with making your own drinks at home using these...

Paper war.(Emails Letters)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2009... I'm an Optus customer with a phone/ internet bundle package, which I've had since October 2007. I recently received a letter from Optus telling me to "switch to online bills now to avoid the $2.20 paper invoice fee that starts from 1 May 2009"....

Soccer-free pay TV.(Emails Letters)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2009... I believe I received unsatisfactory service from Telstra via its pay-TV product, Foxtel from Telstra. In October last year, I enquired about its deal of $99 per month, including installation and all channels for the first month. We specifically...

Geoff Kalwig of Surrey Hills, Victoria, wants to give W.L. Gore a big thumbs up for paying half the price of replacing his 15-year-old Goretex jacket that had started to delaminate.(Thumbs up!)(Brief article)
June 1, 2009... Geoff Kalwig of Surrey Hills, Victoria, wants to give W.L. Gore a big thumbs up for paying half the price of replacing his 15-year-old Goretex jacket that had started to delaminate. He bought the jacket from a company that no longer makes them,...

Cate Gouldian of Caulfield, Victoria, would like to thank OPSM in Malvern Central for fixing the unfixable: after sitting on her out-of-warranty glasses and breaking the arm, she was advised they could not be repaired and the frames were no longer available.(Thumbs up!)
June 1, 2009... Cate Gouldian of Caulfield, Victoria, would like to thank OPSM in Malvern Central for fixing the unfixable after sitting on her out of-warranty glasses and breaking the arm, she was advised they could not be repaired and the frames were no...

Helen of Melbourne wants to thank Adairs for replacing eight expensive sheet sets about a year after they were purchased.(Thumbs up!)
June 1, 2009... Helen of Melbourne wants to thank Adairs for replacing eight expensive sheet sets about a year after they were purchased. The company instantly admitted there had been a problem with shrinkage and replaced both the used and unused sets

Undermining climate efforts.(LETTER OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2009... I am horrified by what I have just read on www.choice.com. au/green about the ineffectiveness of Australian individual and household efforts to reduce global warming, given they will allow heavy-polluting industry to increase its pollution to...

Rebuilding your super: there are ways to take control of your superannuation. We answer your most frequently asked questions.(Money: Superannuation)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The global financial crisis has decimated many Australians' retirement savings. Members have told us they did the "right thing" by making extra superannuation contributions, only to end up losing one-third or more of...

The dinner dilemma: how healthy is that takeaway meal? CHOICE compares the most popular dishes and provides healthier, cheaper alternatives.(Food: Takeaway meals)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Takeaway makes for a quick and easy dinner when you're pressed for time. Even in the midst of a global economic crisis Australians have increased their reliance on this convenient, but not always cheap, option. On...

Beyond the wire: in our constantly connected lifestyle, CHOICE looks at the issues to consider before cutting the cord at home.(Technology: Wireless networking)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It would be hard to imagine a world without the internet. Now, with only a few clicks of the mouse you can book a show, download music, pay bills and search for hours on the most trivial subjects imaginable. However,...

Spreading the fruity hype: in the battle between jam and 'fruit spreads', CHOICE taste testers discover true value.(Taste test: Jams & fruit spreads)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The term "fruit spread" somehow sounds so much healthier and fruitier than plain old jam. The reality, however, is that while jam has its own food standard and strict definition, fruit spread and spreadable fruit...

Sizing up fashion: CHOICE discovers that frustrating irregularities among clothing sizes suit certain sectors of the fashion industry.(Investigation: Clothing sizes)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you've ever felt clothing sizes are quite literally all over the shop, you're not alone. While there is an Australian standard for children's clothes sizes, there isn't for adults. So...

GI go: CHOICE investigates whether our national waistline can benefit from new research on the glycaemic index.(Health: Glycaemic index)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Just as we've become accustomed to the idea that there are good and bad fats, we've now come to accept not all carbohydrates are equal. Indeed, scientists have developed a way of ranking carbohydrate foods so we can...

Vein pain: a new treatment for varicose veins looks promising, but there's a danger unqualified operators could benefit at the expense of patients.(Health: Varicose veins)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Almost half of us will develop varicose veins at some point in our lives, and it's not merely a cosmetic problem. They can cause pain and discomfort on a daily basis, with some of the more persistent symptoms...

Picture perfect: no longer just a phone, some of the latest mobiles work equally well as a camera.(Test: Camera phones)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] There are now more active mobile phones than people in Australia, with more than 21 million currently in circulation. And while most are good at performing basic tasks such as making a call, sending and receiving SMS...

Relatively small, relatively flat: poor sound and uninspiring pictures dominate these TVs.(Test: 66cm TVs)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] This is as small as LCD TVs get--any smaller than these 66cm screens and they're about the same size as a large computer monitor. In the past, the rule of thumb was that smaller screens had better picture quality...

A warm reception: CHOICE tests 11 electric heaters so you can beat the winter chill.(Test: Electric heaters)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Compared with an air conditioner or gas heater, an electric heater is not the most efficient or cost-effective way to heat a room. However, if you're renting or don't have a gas outlet, a convection or column heater...

Guess-free cooking: more microwaves now feature sensor programs, albeit with a higher price tag. CHOICE reveals how well they work.(Test: Microwave ovens)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In microwaves, sensor programs work by measuring the amount of vapour emitted during cooking to control the cooking time and power level. They should eliminate the need for guesswork--about time, weight or quantity...

Sounds from the dock side: speaker docks offer portable convenience but at a cost to sound quality.(Test: Speaker docks)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As the name suggests, personal music players are designed for one person. However, since music is something we like to share occasionally, a relatively low-cost speaker dock may come in handy. CHOICE tested 15...

The first line of defence: some pool fences have been withdrawn after failing our safety tests.(Test: Pool fences)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] One tragic week in late 2008, three boys, each about two years old, drowned in domestic swimming pools in NSW. Children aged between one and two are at peak risk for so-called "pool immersion injury or death". In...

Changing places: CHOICE tested 10 change tables--only four passed all safety tests.(Test: Change tables)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As babies need their nappies changed several times a day, a good change table can make the job much easier. A stable, level surface at the right height--plus shelves or drawers for storing nappies, wipes and other...

A global treasure trove: finding your way in the world can cost the Earth with some of these handheld GPS.(Test: Handheld GPS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A handheld GPS continually monitors its position and speed using a constellation of satellites that orbit the earth. The GPS gives you information on where you've been while you carry it and, if programmed with the...

Recalls & bans.
June 1, 2009... 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...

Party's over for advisers: CHOICE believes the latest corporate collapse must trigger major reforms to the financial advice industry.(FINANCIAL ADVICE)
June 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The recent collapse of Storm Financial has plunged thousands of households into unexpected debt and extreme desperation, with losses expected to exceed $100 million. It is unacceptable that individuals who relied on...