Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from May 2005

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from May 2005

Not amused ...(Editorial)
May 1, 2005... Several things in this issue of CHOICE annoyed (or surprised) me. I'm annoyed that health insurance premiums have gone up again (see page 22). The average increase of 8% this year is bad enough, but when you look back at increases over the...

'Big Four' banks still don't satisfy customers.(choice cuts)
May 1, 2005... CHOICE Money & Rights' latest bank satisfaction results show again that if you bank with one of the 'Big Four' you're likely to be less satisfied than if you're with a smaller bank, building society or credit union. 2807 subscribers took...

Thank you.(choice cuts)
May 1, 2005... The Australian Consumers' Association (the publisher of CHOICE) is a non-profit organisation funded solely by the sales of CHOICE and our other products. So we're always very grateful when subscribers give us a donation to help in our work for...

Truth in advertising?(choice cuts)(Australian Competition and Consumer Commission )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... 'Drive away, no more to pay'--can you rely on phrases like this when you're buying a car, or can you expect hidden extras? Because the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) receives many complaints every year about the way car...

Spread the word.(choice cuts)(trans fats)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Trans fat can increase your risk of heart disease and, weight for weight, is thought to be more harmful to health than saturated fat, so it's worth trying to avoid it. For more on trans fat, see the article in the April 2005 issue of CHOICE....

Printing from camera phones.(choice cuts)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... One of the potential benefits of having a mobile phone with a built-in digital camera is that you've always got a camera on hand for those magic moments. But if you want to experience the magic for more than a moment, you might consider getting...

Can you help? Home exercise equipment survey.(choice cuts)
May 1, 2005... Do you own any home exercise equipment, such as an exercise bike, treadmill, elliptical trainer, rower or stepper? We're conducting a survey among owners of this equipment, and would appreciate your help. You'll find the survey online at...

Consumer rep wanted.(choice cuts)
May 1, 2005... The Australian Consumers' Association (publisher of CHOICE) is looking for a consumer representative to sit on the Standards Australia Technical Committee DB-085 Inspection of Buildings. The rep will work on this committee to help draft...

Where's that food from?(choice cuts)
May 1, 2005... Many of us seem to Like the idea of buying Australian, and it especially makes environmental sense to buy locally grown food. But it's often hard to distinguish Aussie products from imports. So the new Australian HomeGrown logo (see right)...

Dispensing good advice.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... I am writing in reference to the article Dispensing advice in CHOICE, September 2004. As a pharmacy manager, I'm responsible for the training of final-year pharmacy graduates, who then have to go before the Pharmacy Board of NSW for a final...

Annoying airfare ads.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... I consider current airfare advertising misleading to the public and suggest pressure is put on the airlines to offer the full cost of a flight rather than the fare only, leaving consumers guessing as to the amount of sundry taxes, fees and...

Letter of the month.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... We want to hear from you--your experiences help our research and often let other readers know about scares and rip-offs. Positive outcomes you've had to a complaint you took to a manufacturer, retailer, importer or tradesperson interest us too....

Thumbs up!(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... [thumbs up] * If you're not too sure about how well expensive new IV technology will perform in your home, it would be reassuring to know that you wouldn't be stuck with something that wasn't quite right. Which is why Owen Fisher gives a...

Not just bears like honey: sweet talk from our Home Testers--some of the cheaper brands of honey taste the best.(TASTE TEST: Honey)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * You don't have to pay a lot for good-tasting honey. The honeys our Home Testers liked best were generally cheaper ones--and the one they liked most of all (COLES FARMLAND Squeeze Pack Pure Australian Honey) was one of the...

Good-value washing: good performance at a good price? You bet!(TEST: Laundry detergents)(Product/Service Evaluation)(Cover Story)
May 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * There are plenty of good detergents that cost 35 cents or less per wash. * Generally speaking, products containing enzymes and phosphates tend to perform better. If you'd rather avoid them your options are more limited...

Treating the blues? Studies have shown St John's wort helps relieve mild depression, but can you be confident the brand you buy will work like the ones used in studies?(INVESTIGATION: St John's wort)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * St John's wort (SJW) may be a useful part of a treatment strategy for mild depression. * However, not all SJW products are equal, and lack of transparency about their products on the part of companies that supply them...

Coffee and cake to go: you could be taking away a lot more than you bargained for ...(FOOD: Coffee drinks)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * A coffee-to-go can provide a much needed caffeine fix. But some coffee drinks, particularly the chilled, iced and frappe versions, provide a lot more kilojoules, fat and sugar than you might realise (see the table, page 21,...

Small card, big interest rate.(hip pocket)(National Australia Bank)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The credit card as fashion statement? Yep, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK has launched a fancy-looking mini credit card that's available in five 'must-have' colours. It's targeted at younger people, who can team it with accessories like a phone...

Health insurance premiums rise again.(hip pocket)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... For the fourth year in a row, health funds recently informed their members there would be premium rises, this year 8% on average. Increases vary between policies and from fund to fund, and are different depending on the state you Live in....

All-in-one printers: they print, they scan, they copy and some can even fax.(TEST: Versatile printers)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * Multifunction printers can be good space savers, particularly in a home office. * Be prepared to compromise--you may have to settle for slower scanning or lower-quality photo printing. * If your multifunction...

Smart marketing.(food bites)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... A new product on our supermarket shelves is CSR Smart sugar. Promoted as containing half the kilojoules of real sugar, it's claimed to provide a "50% reduction in calories per serving when compared with sugar". But there's a catch. CSR Smart is...

Naturally full of sugar.(food bites)(Natural Beverage Company)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... The NATURAL BEVERAGE COMPANY's range of soft drinks may not be the best choice to quench your children's thirst. 'Natural' they may be, but they contain around six teaspoons of sugar per one-cup (250 mL) serve. In fact, a cup of one of these...

Looking for the best teabag.(CHOICE HOME TESTER)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... CHOICE HOME TESTER Many of life's dilemmas have been sorted out over a good cuppa, and one of those dilemmas need no longer be which brand of teabag to buy, thanks to around 270 CHOICE Home Testers. To find the most satisfying brew they...

Under pressure? If your doctor wants you to check your blood pressure at home, which monitor won't let you down?(TEST: Blood pressure monitors)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * Automatic blood pressure monitors used on the arm rather than the wrist generally worked the best in our test. * Don't use a blood pressure monitor to self-diagnose and adjust your own medication--always use it in...

As seen on TV: we found plenty of 51 cm TVs worthy of a night in front of the box.(TEST: 51 cm TVs)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * On test: a dozen 51 cm TVs ranging in price from around $300-$560. * There's not much innovation happening in this sector of the TV market, but for a good range of standard features and a decent TV-watching experience...

Recalls & bans.
May 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...

Time for a new fridge: tough new energy regulations have made the new breed of fridges much more energy-efficient.(UPDATE: Fridges)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... IN A NUTSHELL * All 11 fridges that made it through our latest test conform to the new, tougher energy standards, but not all are problem-free. * We had an uncharacteristically high number of faulty fridges in the test. If you suspect...