Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from November 2002

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from November 2002

Banks: bad and getting worse.
November 1, 2002... There seems to be a fundamental division between consumer expectations of banks and those of the banks themselves. As our latest bank satisfaction survey shows (the article's on page 9), 95% of CHOICE subscribers who responded to the survey...

Taking your 35 mm or aps photos into the digital age. (choice cuts).(digital photographs without a scanner or digital camera)
November 1, 2002... You don't need a digital camera or even a scanner to take advantage of the many options afforded by digital photography--there are plenty of digital services on offer from your local photo shop. Our sister magazine, Computer CHOICE, reviewed...

Dear Dublin. (World Consumer Snapshot).(most expensive hotel accomodation in countries that use euro)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... If you choose Dublin for your holiday destination and want to stay in a four-star hotel, expect to spend big. A night's accommodation in the Irish capital will set you back more than $530, compared with around $380-$465 for the equivalent in...

More bad news if you're overweight. (World Consumer Snapshot).(obese at greater risk in car accidents)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... We all know that obesity increases our chances of an early death from heart disease or stroke, but it's now been found that we're twice as likely to get injured--often fatally--in car accidents if our weight's beyond the normal ranges. ...

Readers' feedback. (World Consumer Snapshot).(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2002... Two readers' letters published in the German Test magazine gave us some ideas about new things to look out for when we're testing products. A pharmacist wrote that he could no longer recommend an electric toothbrush Test had given a 'good'...

Sleep your way to better health.(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... If you think six hours of sleep are enough, you could be endangering your life--and the lives of others. October's CHOICE Health Reader reports on a recent study which found that limiting the sleep of volunteers to six hours a night for...

Cab insurance. (Update).(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2002... CHOICE, October 2002 In the Policy features table on page 22, footnote (F) for SGIC said that although the policyholder can decide where the car is repaired, only a repairer recommended by the insurer can be used. INSURANCE AUSTRALIA...

Dishwashers. (Correction).(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2002... CHOICE, June 2002 In the profile of the AEG Oko Favorit 4070 on page 39, we said it had a fault display to help avoid unnecessary service calls. This feature is in fact only available on the AEG Oko Favorit 6081,

Call 1300 360 655 and let us shop for you. (CHOICE shopper: best value).(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2002... Have you tried CHOICE Shopper yet? You could be pleasantly surprised, as one of our subscribers recently was. John Poppins from Melbourne was so happy with the service he emailed this report to us. "I was looking for a new car and had...

What's happening with GM foods? (choice cuts).
November 1, 2002... It's argued that crops genetically modified to resist attack by pests or disease could result in less wastage, greater yields, more economical production and ultimately lower-cost food. The nutritional value and shelf life of food could also be...

Showering, soaping and shining those tiles. (your letters).(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2002... I've used a number of shower cleaners, but have found one of the 'spray and go' products you tested (Jan/Feb 2002) has proved to be the best by far. It's effective, faster-acting and has a pleasant pong! Another approach, of course, is not...

Thumbs up!(reports of excellent customer service)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... * Gunter Hormann of Vale Park, SA, gives the thumbs up to R M Williams of Percy Street, Adelaide, which offered him new pants or his money back when he asked the shop where he could get a small hole in a two-month-old pair of moleskin trousers...

Immeasurable savings. (your letters).(Letter to the Editor)
November 1, 2002... The first letter in your July issue ('Time for washing') intrigued me. I bought a front-loader washing machine (WHIRLPOOL AWM 285) as a result of your research. I've been so impressed by your recommendations in the past that when my old machine...

$200 million up for grabs. (hip pocket).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... The Australian Securities and Investments Commission's consumer website, www.fido.asic.gov.au, recently launched a new search engine to help you find money you might have lost in a forgotten bank account, insurance policy or company share sale....

MEDIBANK PRIVATE. (Health Insurance Update).(Correction Notice)
November 1, 2002... MEDIBANK PRIVATE customer Sharon, from Sydney, was recently advised that her First Choice Saver hospital cover with $1000 excess no longer existed. The fund had moved her to First Choice Saver with $500 excess, increasing her annual premium...

Flood damage finally gets paid. (hip pocket).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... Max and Judith Hams from Koralta station in outback NSW have won their case against their insurer in the NSW Supreme Court. "Our property was inundated with water in February 2000. There was water in our house for more than nine months,"...

Banks: bad and getting worse: the bigger the institution, the less you like it: the big four are again close to the bottom of the heap. .
November 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * Those of you who bank with the big four (ANZ, COMMONWEALTH, NATIONAL and WESTPAC) are consistently the most dissatisfied. These institutions haven't increased their level of customer satisfaction since our earlier surveys...

And the logo goes to ...: does a thumbs-up from a reputable organisation help you choose a healthier or 'better' food, or is it just a marketing ploy? We take a look. (Food endorsement logos).
November 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * A well-recognised quality assurance program like the National Heart Foundation's tick, where foods are independently tested, have to meet set nutrition criteria and are spot-checked in the marketplace can help you choose a...

The give and take of charities: there are tens of thousands of charities competing for donations and support. How do you decide which ones are worthy of your generosity? (Charities).
November 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * There's now a fund. raising campaign for practically every day of the year and constant advertising from charities seeking your assistance. How can you check a charity's credentials (pages 16-18)? * Can you be sure...

Petrol or electric? Trimming's a snip with the best of both kinds. (Lawn trimmers).(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * Electric: If you can handle dodging an extension cord while you're trimming, the electric models in the What to buy list will do a good job of maintaining your lawn. The RYOBI's powerful enough for heavy jobs,...

What's on the box? need a new TV and haven't got the for a wide screen? You could be happy with one of these 68 cm models. (68 cm TVs).(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * Price isn't a good indicator of performance--cheaper models ranked close to both top and bottom of our test results, while the most expensive TV in the test was towards the bottom. * You can't guarantee good performance...

You asked. (food bites).(labelling of products free of fat, cholesterol, sugar or salt)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... A subscriber asks: "When is a product really 'free' of fat, cholesterol, sugar or salt?" He'd come across a product whose label said it had no cholesterol, only to read in the nutrition table that it in fact contained "less than 0.28 g per 14...

Nostalgia vs hygiene. (food bites).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... NSW is finally catching up with the other states and territories in its food laws, banning the use of sawdust to soak up blood and offcuts on butchers' floors as part of a range of new food safety regulations. It comes 20 years behind...

Can bread cause bad behavior? (food bites).(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... A recently published study has shown a link between calcium propionate, a food additive, and behavioural problems of some children. It's a mould inhibitor commonly found in bread, often written as 282 in the ingredients list, or in some cases...

The dirt on pre-wash products: one type of stain remover is clearly the best. (Pre-wash stain removers).(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * On test: 34 pre-wash stain removers for cleaning three common household stains. The best by a long way were powder soakers, some of which you probably know better as nappy washes. * Even these products were only...

Cool? The cooling performance achieved by these portable air conditioners is quite limited. Only consider buying one if a built-in type isn't an option for you. (Portable air conditioners).(Product/Service Evaluation)
November 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * A built-in air conditioner with similar capacity is likely to cool your room better. * If built-in isn't an option, the top three models in our test will give you noticeable relief from heat and humidity. * The...

Contraception--Healthy Choices: a contraceptive clinic in a book FPA Health. (Choice Books).(Book Review)
November 1, 2002... Choosing a method of contraception isn't simply about preventing pregnancy, it's also about making the best choice for your future, your lifestyle, your health and your peace of mind. Contraception--Healthy Choices provides both men and women...

Consumer bookshelf.
November 1, 2002... HEALTHY WOMEN Read how 26 women balance their health and life. $25.00 CODE: HEWO A GUIDE TO MENOPAUSE Unbiased advice on menopause. $10.00 CODE: AGTM YOUR HEALTH ORGANISER A record book of your and your family's...

Fridges: which won't let you down? Our biggest-ever test report on fridges reveals the good performers and the ones that'd be harder to live with. (Fridges).(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * Our verdict on 42 upright, two-door, frost-free fridge/freezers. We found 12 to recommend in various sizes: see What to buy: profiles, page 42. * Only one of the 11 new models tested can be recommended, and some have...

Recalls & bans.
November 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, call the safety Police Unit...

Choice smart living loud.(information on Choice's website)(Brief Article)
November 1, 2002... How did they do that? Ever wondered how we test products? See online video footage of washing machines, laundry detergents and strollers being put through their paces. Go to www.choice.com.au/home and click on the particular product test....

Hard word.
November 1, 2002... A TRICK OF THE EYES? WARNING The lenses in chese glasses are NOT prescription lenses They are not in tended to correct any PROBLEMS with your eyesight POOR VISION is a result of: --a need for conectly preseribed glasses;or ...