Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from September 2008

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from September 2008

GPs need independent drug information.(Comment)
September 1, 2008... When you visit a GP, you want to be confident you're prescribed the best treatment based on the best available evidence. But is this always what you get? On page 12, we look at one significant influence on doctors' decision...

Truth in pricing a win for consumers: CHOICE welcomes the Federal Government's announcement of mandatory unit pricing, a reform we've advocated for many years.(HEALTH)
September 1, 2008... Supermarkets across the country will be required to implement unit pricing following recommendations outlined in the ACCC's recent grocery inquiry. This pricing system displays a product's cost per unit of measurement (for example, per kilogram...

Thank you.(Consumer news)
September 1, 2008... We'd like to say thank you to Mr and Mrs Almgren of Beecroft, NSW, who have again acknowledged CHOICE's work for consumers with a generous donation. CHOICE is a non-profit organisation funded solely by subscribers to the magazine and website,...

Is that bank safe? A number of foreign-owned banks have come to our shores recently; some advertise the best and "safest" deposit rates on the market. Is a deposit with a foreign-owned bank as safe as an Aussie one?(FINANCE)
September 1, 2008... If the bank is properly licensed and regulated, then the answer is yes. The first thing to check with any bank, building society or credit union is that it's an authorised deposit-taking institution (ADI). ADIs are regulated by the Australian...

Fire risk from banned dishwashers: several brands of Electrolux dishwashers have been banned from sale after being linked to a string of house fires.(SAFETY)
September 1, 2008... A ban was recently issued in NSW on the sale of several Electrolux-made dishwashers, following reports of home fires linked to the faulty machines. The affected models have also been voluntarily withdrawn from sale across the country. The move...

Nanotubes: small technology--big risk? There may be a very large downside to this century's 'miracle material'.(HEALTH)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] While it might have a big name, nanotechnology deals with the tiniest materials. Already in use in many everyday household products from sunscreen to dishwashers, nanotechnology has been lauded by many as creating a...

Fair's fair: our fast food giants have cottoned on to the value of the ethical and green coffee dollar ... which is good news for the world's coffee-growing nations.(SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE COFFEE)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] McDonald's, Gloria Jean's and Wild Bean Cafes are the latest coffee retailers to join forces with either the Rainforest Alliance or the Fairtrade Association in an effort to smarten up their green credentials and...

Keyboards 'filthier than a toilet seat': if you regularly forgo a lunch break to eat at your desk, you might want to change your routine.(HYGIENE)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Tests carried out by Which?, CHOICE's sister organisation in the UK, found bacteria on keyboards that could cause food poisoning symptoms such as diarrhoea and other stomach upsets. One keyboard had 150 times the recommended maximum of...

Green beers spread roots: some of Australia's big beer players are getting into the green claims arena--Lion Nathan with Barefoot Radler, Foster's Cascade Green, and Coopers. Do these claims carry weight?(GREEN CLAIMS)
September 1, 2008... The following companies are offering brews claimed to be environmentally superior: * Cascade Green "100% carbon offset", "Beer of the earth". * Barefoot Radler "Carbon neutral", "Treading softly on the planet". * Coopers...

PayPal plans scrapped.
September 1, 2008... eBay Australia has dropped its plans to make sellers use PayPal as the only electronic payment method. The move follows hundreds of complaints to the ACCC. eBay said the company has withdrawn from its proposed payment changes to "stop further...

Treadmills danger.
September 1, 2008... A product safety audit conducted by the Office of Consumer and Business Affairs in SA found that 15 out of 18 treadmills tested posed a high risk of a child's finger getting caught while the treadmill is running. Nearly 70 injuries involving...

Eli Lily fined $60,000.
September 1, 2008... Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly was ordered to pay a $60,000 fine for a media campaign that breached the industry code of conduct. The company was fined after CHOICE complained to industry body Medicines Australia (MA) about the promotion of...

First look at the iPhone 3G: Apple's long-awaited iPhone is now available in Australia from Optus, Vodafone, Virgin and Telstra.(MORE THAN A MOBILE PHONE)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The iPhone combines a cameraphone, video iPod, portable email and web browser in a sleek, thin, handheld package that's easy to learn and use. Its features include 3G phone network access, GPS capability and wireless...

Swept away: a quiet and efficient outdoor sweeper sounds perfect. Does it live up to expectations?(COURTYARD SWEEPER)(Haaga TopSweep55)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... The HAAGA TopSweep55 a manual outdoor sweeper claimed to work quickly, quietly and efficiently at picking up almost anything in its path: leaves, stones, paper, empty cans and fine dirt. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It has two circular...

Blu-ray home theatre in a box.(HOME ENTERTAINMENT)
September 1, 2008... The SAMSUNG HT-BD2 is the first of a new category: the Blu-ray home theatre system. It's basically a Blu-ray (high-definition digital video) player with a built-in amplifier and a 7.1 surround sound speaker system. Apart from a single HDMI...

Air conditioners.(Coming)
September 1, 2008... With summer approaching, buying an air conditioner for the first time or replacing an old one is a major expense. CHOICE tested 10 large reverse-cycle air conditioners so you can choose the right model for the room you want to cool in summer...

Digital SLR cameras.(Coming)
September 1, 2008... When you want to be more creative with your photography, a digital SLR may be the answer. They're larger than compact and bridge cameras and give you more control, but you can still use them to point and shoot. Prices have dropped to make them...

Ovens.(Coming)
September 1, 2008... Do you have to spend a lot of money to get an oven that cooks well? We put 10 ovens through eight cooking tests to find the models that cook and grill best, while still being easy to use and clean. We also give you a rundown on what functions...

Selling secondhand strollers.(Letters: Emails)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... * I'm trying to find out about the changes in the laws for prams and strollers that were introduced on 1 July. I know the law applies to new prams, and seems to apply to secondhand 'suppliers', but what about private citizens who might want to...

It doesn't get much better ...(Letters: Emails)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... *... than this. My old vacuum cleaner gave up the ghost yesterday morning. CHOICE arrived in my letterbox yesterday afternoon with tests on vacuum cleaners. This morning I purchased your top recommended ELECTROLUX Oxygen+ model for $285 from...

Phones for the hearing-impaired.(Letters: Emails)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... * I would like to make a suggestion for future cordless phone tests with regard to their suitability for the hearing-impaired. Many phones can be used with the T-coil facility built into hearing aids but many deaf people, including me, find it...

Thumbs up envy.(Letters: Emails)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... * I read with envy Gabriella Marenco's experience with her three-year-old Sony camera in Thumbs up March 2008. My three-year-old Olympus camera gave up the ghost early this year and I got a similar response from camera shop staff, who advised...

Extended warranty, friend or foe?(Letters: Emails)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... * Have you ever done an article on the extended warranty industry? We seem to be offered these at the end of every appliance purchase these days. We've just been offered one for $120 (for three extra years) on a washing machine that has a...

Home and contents insurance.(LETTER OF THE MONTH)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... * Motivated by the story in your April 2008 issue, I re-evaluated our home and contents insurance. I got quotes from a number of companies over the internet and found the information and rankings in your article were accurate and that there...

Thumbs up!(Letters Emails)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2008... * Linda would like to give her Thumbs up to Curtain Wonderland in Townsville. After washing the two-year-old curtains she'd purchased there, the sun blockout backing disintegrated. When she returned to the store, it offered to replace her...

Promotion overdo$e: how much influence do drug companies have on the medication your doctor prescribes for you? CHOICE asked 180 GPs.(Health: Drug companies and GPs)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] You're sick, so you go to see your GP, who prescribes you the best medication for your condition. You take it and you get better. That's how things should work, but what goes on behind the scenes? Can you trust...

A grain of truth: you hear it all the time--eat more wholegrains. And then there are all the new 'supergrains' being marketed--why should we eat them, and which ones? There are five good reasons to include wholegrains in your diet.(Health: Wholegrains)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wholegrains are hot. They're not just an ingredient, they've become a marketing tool food companies use to convince us to buy one product over another. They're also all the rage among doctors, dietitians and other...

Solar panels: counting the real cost: what does generating electricity from the sun cost and how long does it take for solar panels to pay for themselves?(Home: Solar panels)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The appeal of making your own electricity from the sun is easy to understand. Climate change is public enemy number one, and it's estimated that the total energy-generating potential if panels were installed on all...

Extra cover for your health: CHOICE's Best Buys can save your family on average between $320 and $800 per year for 'extras' health insurance.(Insurance: Ancillary health cover)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Extras policies cover services not covered by Medicare, such as visits to the dentist, glasses and contact lenses, physiotherapy, massage and hearing aids. CHOICE's Best Buys can save your family on average per...

Sweet delight: a sticky wine rounds off a good dinner to perfection. CHOICE's expert tasters found some heavenly dessert wines that don't cost the earth.(Taste test: Dessert wines)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Their luscious sticky texture and appealing golden glow give dessert wines a quality of sumptuous indulgence. Yet 'stickles', as they're affectionately known, make up less than 5% of the wine we enjoy in Australia....

Dream machines: AV receivers are supposed to turn your living room into a cinema. Our buying guide tells you what you need to know. Plus we picked four products at different price points to help you decide how much to spend.(Buying guide: Audiovisual receivers)(Buyers guide)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] An audiovisual (AV) receiver is the hub of any home theatre system. Its job is to take the sound and video information from your DVD, CD player or set-top-box and, if necessary, convert it to an appropriate...

No-glow zone: here's the lowdown on sweat--plus a CHOICE user trial of antiperspirants that claim to avoid those dreaded white marks.(User trial: Antiperspirant)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] For most of us, antiperspirants and deodorants are part of our daily toilette, one pretty much taken for granted. Yet for others they're a chemical cocktail of poisons and carcinogens. So what's the truth? CHOICE...

Larger than life: big screen, big impact, big cost--so what's the best big TV for your money?(Test: 127-132 cm TVs)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Big is the trend in televisions. Major retailers put large TVs upfront in their displays, often showing a colourful video with the settings at maximum brightness and saturation. It's all about trying to stand out on...

No white marks? CHOICE readers told us some water-saving machines leave detergent residue on clothes--so we looked for a solution.(Test: Washing machines)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We tested 12 new washing machines, priced from $649 to $2199, scoring how well they wash your load and how efficiently they do so--as usual their scores are in the table, page 46. But that's not all we tested this...

Will Blu-ray replace DVDs? We've avoided another VHS/Beta format war, with only one high-definition disc format now available. But should you go Blu-ray just yet?(Test: Washing machines)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The arrival of the DVD over a decade ago heralded a new age in home entertainment and marked the beginning of the end for the VHS videotape. Now we're being told DVD is no longer good enough for the 21st century and...

Good-value vacuums: we rate medium-priced vacs against expensive models, and they perform just as well.(Test: Vacuum cleaners)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] O latest test has 14 medium-priced vacuum cleaners, ranging from $230 to $399. These mid-priced vacs performed very well and most matched up to their more expensive comrades. There's no need to spend more than $350...

Shear delight: a good pair of kitchen shears needn't cost a lot--our two Best Buys cost less than $15.(Test: Kitchen shears)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Some kitchen jobs are too tough for ordinary scissors. Cutting up raw chicken needs not just power to snip through meat, gristle and bone, but also non-slip handles for when your hands get greasy. Trimming woody...

Cool air wherever you want: portable air conditioners are still ugly and noisy, but they're getting better at keeping you cool.(Test: Portable air conditioners)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] According to the ads, portable air conditioners are affordable, movable, easy to install and can even look great. To see whether these claims are just hot air or whether these air conditioners have improved since we...

Cafe-style lunches in your own home: a sandwich press creates gourmet sandwiches and 'melts', and toasts breads like Turkish and focaccia.(Test: Sandwich presses)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The good old favourite sandwich maker easily turns your lunchtime sandwich into a mouthwatering snack. But to create scrumptious, cafe-style lunches at home with panini, Turkish bread and focaccia, you need a...

Recalls & Bans.(List)
September 1, 2008... 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...

International treaty threatens consumer rights.(CONSUMER RIGHTS)
September 1, 2008... Behind closed doors, countries such as the US, France and Japan have been negotiating a new international Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA). The name suggests the treaty will apply to things such as illegal counterfeiting of brand-name...

Fair fees campaign update.(BANK FEES)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] CHOICE's campaign against unfair bank penalty fees is continuing to chalk up victories: * From August this year, Westpac no longer charges penalty fees on its Basic bank account. This account is available to...

Hard word.(Brief article)(Column)
September 1, 2008... The prize for best entry goes to 12-year-old M Mills for the food-preserving Tupperware containers. Thanks also to W Le Get, C Ferrington, E Brown, W Sauer, J Smyth, E Walker and B Winchcombe for their contributions to this month's Hard Word....