Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from October 2004

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from October 2004

It's a brave new world ...(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... If you've ever lived in an old house or flat and looked at renovating it, you'll be aware of how the world of consumption has moved on since your home's last makeover in, say, the seventies or even earlier. Then just about the only choices...

BBQ chooks--how safe to eat?(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Chicken doesn't have the best of reputations when it comes to bugs. Reports of salmonella contamination of raw chicken and the need to handle it (and other meats) carefully at home might make you think twice about picking up a BBQ chook from...

Picture perfect.(choice cuts)(photo editing software)
October 1, 2004... The ability to enjoy photos immediately is one of the biggest attractions of digital cameras (see page 8 for our latest test results). What you can also do, though, is clean up many of the problems that stop a good photo from being great (such...

Green vehicle guide.(choice cuts)
October 1, 2004... A new government website rates the environmental impact of new cars, 4WDs and light commercial vehicles, and allows you to pick the greenest model that meets your needs. Each model has an overall star rating: the more stars, the lower the...

Correction.(choice cuts)(Correction Notice)
October 1, 2004... WASHING MACHINES CHOICE, September 2004 In the table on page 45, we listed the MIELE washing machines as not having extra rinse options. In fact both machines can be programmed to do an extra rinse during certain wash programs.

To your health.(World Consumer Snapshot)(drinking beer prevents heart attack)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Much has been written about the potential health benefits of drinking red wine in moderation. Now comes similar good news for beer drinkers: two studies have suggested a brew a day may help prevent heart attacks. While these studies don't prove...

Persistent telemarketing.(World Consumer Snapshot)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The Canadian Protegez-Vous magazine reports that when one of its readers told a persistent phone marketer that she wasn't going to buy anything, he responded: "I'm not calling you to sell you something, Madame. I'd only like to advise you on a...

Expensive and dispensable.(World Consumer Snapshot)(hand creams)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Germany's Test magazine advised its readers to save their money after its tests of several special hand creams designed to combat age spots gave only disappointing results. Thirty trialists used the creams on their hands and lower arms, but...

Don't buy a dodgy didge.(choice cuts)
October 1, 2004... Iconic, instantly identifiable and striking, Aboriginal art is uniquely Australian. The only problem is, It's not always what it's claimed to be. The ACCC recently took court action against two companies for misrepresenting the source of some...

Mobile phones for nix?(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... We've often mentioned hidden costs in mobile phone deals and cautioned you to read the fine print carefully when you see a 'free' handset advertised. Now TELSTRA's been taken to task for its use of $0 advertising. Earlier this year the...

Foxes in charge of the henhouse?(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... I read with interest in your May 2004 issue the reader's letter relating a retirement village experience. However, I was most concerned at the editor's note in reply, highlighting the accreditation scheme by the Retirement Villages Association...

Going spare over spare parts.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... On May 13 this year my Kia Pregio van was struck by another vehicle while it was parked, causing extensive damage. Twelve weeks later I'm still awaiting a replacement side panel to complete repairs. I own a small gardening business and rely on...

Letter of the month.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... 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....

Going digital? The cameras are getting cheaper and better.(Test: digital cameras)
October 1, 2004... The move to digital photography shows no sign of slowing, and not surprisingly the majority of sales are under $1000. We've included some more expensive cameras that were in our latest test in our What to buy list on the right, but the table on...

Photo paper costs: what it costs to print your pictures on photo-quality paper.(Digital cameras: printing your photos)
October 1, 2004... The table is a quick guide to what it'll cost you to buy photo-quality A4 inkjet paper to print your photos on. As it shows, some papers are less than half the price of others in terms of what it'll cost you per page of photos you print. So...

Convert to inverters? Inverter air conditioners--as efficient as claimed?(Test: split-system air conditioners)
October 1, 2004... If you've ever used a conventional air conditioner, you've probably noticed that it regularly switches on and off in order to maintain the chosen room temperature. That's because it has only two modes: it either works at 100% capacity or not at...

Organic goes mainstream: how much extra are you prepared to pay for organic food in a tin or packet?(Report: organic processed food)
October 1, 2004... Organic food is produced without using synthetic chemicals (such as pesticides) or genetically modified (GM) components. Eggs are from free-range rather than caged hens; animals aren't fed any drugs to regulate or promote their growth, such as...

Walk this way: need motivation to exercise? By recording the number of steps you do, a pedometer can spur you on--but can you count on it to count accurately?(Test: pedometers)
October 1, 2004... A pedometer is a small electronic device, worn on the hip, that measures and records movement associated with the impact of taking steps. They're often used to give an indication of the wearer's total everyday activity, whether doing the...

Sleeping beautifully: hoe to buy a mattress you'll love sleeping on.(Buying guide: mattresses)
October 1, 2004... There's no scientific consensus on what makes a good mattress. People around the world sleep comfortably on all sorts of beds: straw mats, hammocks, futons, waterbeds, airbeds and all manner of mattress. In a market where what feels good is...

Crash test update: side and head airbags considerably improve protection for drivers and passengers in high-speed accidents.(Drivelines: car safety)(Australian New Car Assessment Program)
October 1, 2004... The latest round of high-speed crash tests released by the Australian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) looked at a range of small, medium and sports cars, as well as compact 4WDs--including results for models tested in Europe but also...

Choosing a cooktop: following our test of wall ovens in the July issue, here's the lowdown on buying a cooktop to go with one.(Buying guide: cooktops)
October 1, 2004... The old kitchen range--albeit in an upmarket format--is making a comeback, but having a separate oven and cooktop allows you flexibility to put each where you like, at the height that suits you best. You can choose the shape and size of both,...

We all scream for widescreen ... quality often comes at a price, so the best news is that two of the top widescreen TVs were the cheapest in the bunch.(Test: 76 cm widescreen TVs)
October 1, 2004... Widescreen TVs can provide a great close-to-cinema experience when you're watching a DVD movie, so it's no surprise they're becoming very popular. Around 15% of televisions now sold are in this format. With most Australian-made...

Clean all over: over 400 CHOICE Home Testers give you their verdict on 17 multipurpose cleaners.(User trial: multipurpose cleaners)
October 1, 2004... In the past, buying a cleaner for general use in the kitchen was easy. You only had to decide on the brand and type of product--a cream cleanser or a general-purpose spray, for instance. Now, if you've opted for the latter, you're still faced...

Super loopholes.(hip pocket)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... In 1999, Kevin Wulff of Subiaco, WA, incurred $5980 in additional taxes when his super fund failed to pay contributions surcharge tax when he withdrew a lump sum. This was despite Mr Wulff asking the fund to take out the tax before the...

New rules for brokers, but gaps remain.(hip pocket)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... New laws to regulate finance brokers who offer home loans in NSW are finally in force. Under the changes, brokers must give you a finance broking contract before any work begins (take your time to read and understand it before you sign), and...

Recalls & bans.
October 1, 2004... Nowadays there are so many product recalls we may not be able to print all of them in CHOICE. For comprehensive recoil information go to the Federal Treasury website: www.recalls.gov.au. If you don't hove web access, call the Consumer Safety...

Box office baloney.(hard word)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... If these superlatives quoted from newspaper reviews are enough to send you racing to the box office for tickets to Sleeping Beauty on Ice, you'd best put that intention on ice. You see, the rave reviews don't refer to the advertised...

Can't-count Dracula at work.(hard word)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Our reader, Christopher, laments not being able to take up this offer for an engraved pen, because the free engraving only applies to names of up to 10 letters. And yet, there's the engraving on the pen pictured in the ad...

When is salt not salt?(hard word)(sodium chloride)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... A few readers have sent in can labels claiming 'no added salt', but with mineral salt listed in the ingredients. It's all above-board as far as labelling regulations go: mineral salt can be either calcium chloride (used as a firming agent...

Now if you just turn the flag anti-clockwise 90 degrees ...(hard word)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Poor old France--it's a sad thing when the pride of a nation is a foreigner. N'est-ce pas, Russell Crowe, Phar Lap, Patrick White, Nancy Wake et al?