Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from October 2006

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from October 2006

Who owns what on the web?(choice cuts)
October 1, 2006... Most of us use a variety of websites when browsing the internet, but you might be surprised to discover that many belong to a few dominant companies. Nielsen//NetRatings ranked the top 10 companies according to audience size and the...

Which coffee? You choose.(choice cuts)(Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)
October 1, 2006... Thanks to a recent decision by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), at Aldi supermarkets you're now free to choose between the two instant coffee brands pictured on the right. Both are NESCAFE instant coffee, but NESCAFE...

Screen it out.(choice cuts)(diagnosing bowel cancer)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... About 90 Australians die each week from bowel cancer--it's the second most common cause of cancer-related death in Australia. Like many cancers it can be treated successfully if you detect it early enough. But as it can develop with few, if...

Cheap and cheerful.(choice cuts)(Kmart HOMEMAKER Fully Automatic Washing Machine HMWM5 )(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2006... In the past, budget-priced washing machines have tended to be unimpressive when put to the test, so it's great to find a 'supermarket special' with a good report card. The HOMEMAKER Fully Automatic Washing Machine HMWM5 (HMXQB50-808GF)...

Free websites helps manage money.(choice cuts)(National Information Centre on Retirement Investments)(Moneymap)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... A new independent and free website called Moneymap offers online tools--from budgeting sheets to investment calculators--to help you to simplify and manage your finances. The website was developed by the National Information Centre on...

Dishwashers.(choice cuts)(Correction notice)
October 1, 2006... CHOICE, July 2006 In Table 2 on pages 46-47 there were small systematic errors in the calculation of the 10-year running costs. However, these don't alter any of our recommendations for Best Buys.

Can you help?(choice cuts)
October 1, 2006... We're looking for stories from women who've been shopping for a wedding dress in the past two years. We'd like to hear your experiences, good and bad. Some of the things we'd like to know are: * How helpful were the sales assistants? ...

Why we crave comfort foods.(WORLD CONSUMER SNAPSHOT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Fried chicken and mash, pizza, apple pie and ice cream not only satiate hunger, they seem to satisfy the soul. Traditional comfort foods have a deeply rooted emotional appeal and may also fulfil specific biological cravings, reports the US...

Trees for tissues.(WORLD CONSUMER SNAPSHOT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Twenty five million trees are felled each year for the European tissue, toilet and kitchen paper market alone, reports Germany's Test magazine. Toilet paper from the five largest manufacturers there contains very little recycled content, and...

Aromasteam harmony.(WORLD CONSUMER SNAPSHOT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... In the UK, Which? magazine's 'gadgeteer' found the Aromasteam sauna. It's just big enough for one, has a built-in CD player and can be dismantled in eight minutes, so you can easily move it around the house. "Imagine the fun you'll have wiping...

Hear, hear.(your letters)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... We'd like to commend you on your excellent article on hearing aids (CHOICE, July 2006). Consumer organisations are very pleased with the rise in technological and audiological standards over the past decade, but are concerned about the...

It takes time.(your letters)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... I've just read your article on hearing aids--it was very good as far as it went and had some useful links I'll look into. However, there was an aspect of getting hearing aids I found and still find difficult that wasn't touched. Apart...

Thumbs up!(your letters)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2006... * Arthur Sannen would like to nominate BOSE for a thumbs-up. When the sliders on the headband of his BOSE headphones started to crack he sent them in for repairs. He says he was very surprised not long afterwards to receive a brand-new pair of...

Letter of the month.(your letters)
October 1, 2006... We want to hear from you--your experiences help our research and often let other readers know about scams and rip-offs. Positive outcomes you've had to a complaint you took to a manufacturer, retailer, importer or tradesperson interest us too....

Kids in crisis: obesity in children has reached epidemic proportions. It's time to take action.(REPORT: Childhood obesity)
October 1, 2006... Childhood obesity in Australia has reached critical levels. So much so that dire predictions have been made that today's children might be the first generation to die at an earlier age than their parents. Between 1985 and 1997, the prevalence...

More cheese, please.(foot bites)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... Good news if you have a cholesterol problem but enjoy a slice of cheese. A study has found that eating three serves of cheese each day has no effect on LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, whereas eating butter with the same amount of dairy fat caused...

Nutrition to the front.(food bites)(Kellogg USA Inc. offers nutrition labeling)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... KELLOGG'S has introduced a new-look nutrition panel on the front of its cereal packs called the % DI (daily intake) counter. Based on an average adult energy intake of 8700 kJ a day, it'll tell you what percentage of your daily energy, protein,...

Lollies back on the bench.(food bites)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... You may have heard rumours doing the rounds that experts have benched orange quarters--the traditional half-time pick-me-up at kids' Saturday soccer or netball matches. Instead the word is out that lollies--or more specifically red frogs or...

Card games: our investigation has uncovered 10% credit cards that leave you paying more interest than 18% cards--for exactly the same transactions.(REPORT: Credit card interest)
October 1, 2006... "It's very, very complicated." "Most people don't know how interest is calculated." "Hardly anybody at the bank knows how these interest calculations work." "It's almost a science." These are some of the ways interest calculations were...

Watching movies anywhere: kids love them for the back seat on long car trips. Now there's even a water-resistant one for use by the pool.(TEST: Portable DVD players)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2006... It's hardly home cinema with crystal clear pictures and surround sound, but when you can't watch your favourite movies on your quality gear at home, a portable DVD player can fill the gap. It can keep the kids entertained--and quiet--on a long...

Home alone: what you need to know if you're leaving your home in the hands of a housesitter.(REPORT: House minding agencies)
October 1, 2006... Ever had that sinking feeling as you leave home to head off on holiday? Have you locked the doors? Left the oven on? Will the house be secure? Will the garden survive? Will the pets be safe and will your neighbour remember to feed them? It's a...

Good cameras, good prices: recommendations under $600.(UPDATE: Digital cameras)
October 1, 2006... The good news is that you can get a good camera in this price bracket and there are even a couple of cheapies--less than $300--that can produce good-quality images and are OK overall performers. Some digital cameras have very long telephoto...

Need a break? Grabbing a quick muesli or muffin bar may not be the healthy fix you're after.(FOOD: Cereal bars)
October 1, 2006... Cereal bars, muesli bars, breakfast bars... they're a convenient, quick snack. But while they have a healthy image, most of them are more than 20% sugar, and some deliver more saturated fat than a packet of chips. What's more, even the 'fruit'...

Big Four banks fail website review.(hip pocket)(Brief article)
October 1, 2006... How easy is it to find information and apply for a home loan or a credit card on one of the major four banks' websites? A thumbs-down for the Big Four comes from US research group Forrester. Forrester reviewed the websites of ANZ,...

Internet loans.(hip pocket)
October 1, 2006... Home loans offered only over the internet (not through branches or brokers) with competitive interest rates and flexible features are now available from three lenders. ONE DIRECT (owned by ANZ) joins COMMONWEALTH subsidiary HOMEPATH and...

Crystal clear? Put the sparkle back into your windows.(TEST: Window and glass cleaners)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2006... Nothing makes your home look better than sparkling-clean windows--the light streams in and everything's brighter. But while the result's great, window cleaning would have to rate as one of the most tedious household tasks, whether you have to...

Efficient cooling: keep your living room cool this summer.(TEST: Split-system air conditioners)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2006... You've installed roof insulation and shading for your windows? Given fans a chance? But your house still gets uncomfortably hot in summer. An air conditioner may be your only option to escape the heat. We looked at seven models suitable for...

Safe and sound: eight out of 10 cots tested are safe and durable.(TEST: Cots)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2006... A baby will spend more time alone in a cot than anywhere else so it's very important that it's safe. Unfortunately, over the years our testing has proved that not all cots are equal for safety, even since some clauses of the 1995 standard...

Kettles with mettle: looking for a kettle that combines cool style with hot performance?(TEST: Cordless kettles)(Product/service evaluation)
October 1, 2006... What do you get when you pay $60 or more for a kettle? You'll certainly get a cordless one--even cheap kettles are usually cordless now, when once cordless kettles were a luxury item. In the last few years they've become by far the most common...

Recalls & bans.
October 1, 2006... 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...