Digital radio has some positives, but for now it's expensive.
7 May 2009 |
Since May 2009, digital radio broadcasts have been transmitted in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.
Play internet radio or your own music files wirelessly or over an Ethernet connection.
25 Feb 2009 |
The Logitech Squeezebox Boom is made for constantly connected people, streaming music either over the internet or from a personal computer.
Digital radio has hit the airwaves.
19 Jan 2009 |
If you're keen to experience the difference digital technology makes to the radio waves you will have to open your wallet along with your eyes and ears.
It’s time we stopped wasting precious drinking water on the garden and for toilet-flushing.
1 Jul 2008 |
Australia is the driest inhabited continent and predictions are that the future is likely to get hotter and drier.
Making your home water-efficient needn’t cost a fortune. You can do a lot with a few dollars, and even more with a few hundred.
17 Sep 2007 |
Most major cities in Australia have water restrictions in place, ranging from limits on garden watering to a complete ban on outdoor water use.
Saving water is important, but re-using waste water will help too.
20 Mar 2007 |
Greywater is the waste water from showers, baths, hand-basins, laundry tubs, washing machines, dishwashers and kitchen sinks. Using greywater on your garden could help save hundreds of litres of water a day.
A canopy rangehood can rid your kitchen of steam.
27 May 2009 |
Canopy rangehoods, which are like a freestanding flue, are usually more expensive than their retractable cousins, but they’re becoming increasingly popular. We tested 10 so you can choose the right one.
Get rid of kitchen steam and smells.
20 Oct 2008 |
You can pay $1000 or more for a rangehood, but during testing we've found some good ones among the lower-priced models.
Are packaged stocks anything like the real deal?
8 Oct 2009 |
CHOICE looks at 25 stocks – liquid, cubes and powders – and highlights the ones that are most like homemade, the ones with the least salt and the ones we believe represent the best value.
Store-bought stocks can't compare with an authentic home-made version.
1 Oct 2009 |
Try our delicious home-made chicken stock recipe - free of additives and full of flavour.
There’s more work to do, but baby foods have improved.
4 Jun 2007 |
CHOICE last reviewed baby food in 2005 and we weren’t happy with what we found. We’re back to see what’s changed and how you can buy the best baby food.
All baby foods are not created equal.
23 Feb 2007 |
We’ve put up-market, gourmet, and organic baby food for the under 1s under the microscope to see how they stack up.
Here's some quick recipes that are easy to make and sure to please your little one.
24 Jul 2003 |
These simple recipes come from CHOICE's popular book title, Practical Cooking for Babies and Toddlers.
We look at how to start with solids, what to choose and what to look out for.
15 Jul 2003 |
Experts are probably still arguing, but the latest recommendations are that you shouldn’t start your baby on anything other than breast milk or formula before they’re six months old.
If you’ve ever flicked through the pages of a glossy food magazine you’ve seen what a food stylist can do.
24 Jan 2002 |
The problem with food photography is that food tends to dry out, shrink, discolour and sag — food styling is about counteracting these forces.
Saving water is important, but re-using waste water will help too.
20 Mar 2007 |
Greywater is the waste water from showers, baths, hand-basins, laundry tubs, washing machines, dishwashers and kitchen sinks. Using greywater on your garden could help save hundreds of litres of water a day.
Don't throw out your old computer — recycle it.
28 Oct 2009 |
E-waste is a huge global problem that is growing. Recycling programs and sustainable product design are not keeping pace with our apetite for new technology.
Only 15% of plastics we consume are recycled. Here’s what you can do.
26 Feb 2009 |
Over the past decade plastics recycling rates have doubled, yet confusion about which plastics can be recycled is hindering progress.
Most of the goods we buy need to be protected by packaging. But how much is too much?
17 Oct 2007 |
From gourmet chocolates to beauty products, an increasing number of consumer goods are buried in layers of packaging these days.
Saving water is important, but re-using waste water will help too.
20 Mar 2007 |
Greywater is the waste water from showers, baths, hand-basins, laundry tubs, washing machines, dishwashers and kitchen sinks. Using greywater on your garden could help save hundreds of litres of water a day.
Use our tools to insist on your rights when products don’t work as they should. And help us pressure retailers to sign our Fair Warranty Charter.
3 Dec 2009 |
You have a legal right to ask your retailer to repair or replace faulty goods – or give you a refund.
Know when you’re entitled to return goods and get your money back.
19 Feb 2007 |
In this report we explain your rights to a refund for products or services, how warranties affect the situation, and where to go for help if a retailer isn't cooperating.
Making a complaint requires time, effort and often a bit of patience.
10 May 2005 |
Sometimes you may have to write a letter outlining your concerns before the organisation takes you seriously.
Transparency about the quality and safety of the health care system will empower consumers to make better choices.
6 Dec 2007 |
Most people receive excellent care in Australia’s hospitals but as many as 10% of people may suffer harm as a direct result of the care they receive.
Do you know if the food in your favourite restaurant is safe to eat?
11 Nov 2007 |
There’s no fast and easy way of knowing if a restaurant has a kitchen that’s filthy or is infested with rats, or even if it passed its last council inspection.
Use our tools to insist on your rights when products don’t work as they should. And help us pressure retailers to sign our Fair Warranty Charter.
3 Dec 2009 |
You have a legal right to ask your retailer to repair or replace faulty goods – or give you a refund.
How do your desktop and laptop, printer and digital camera stack up?
13 Jan 2009 |
The results for this year’s reliability survey are in — the good news is there's been an improvement for some products, but there are a few disappointing figures too.
Our members reveal how major appliances rate for reliability.
10 Jul 2007 |
Every couple of years CHOICE surveys subscribers about some of the big ticket appliances you rely on daily. This time we received more than 13,000 responses.
Deciding where to eat on Friday night? Check out a restaurant guide website.
29 Sep 2008 |
CHOICE's verdict on which ones offer the most useful information, and how to know which reviews you can trust.
Do you know if the food in your favourite restaurant is safe to eat?
11 Nov 2007 |
There’s no fast and easy way of knowing if a restaurant has a kitchen that’s filthy or is infested with rats, or even if it passed its last council inspection.
Write to your State Health Minister to show your support for improved restaurant hygiene information for consumers
24 Oct 2007 |
Write to your State Health Minister to show your support for improved restaurant hygiene information for consumers
A reverse mortgage can help fund your retirement. CHOICE outlines the risks.
1 Oct 2009 |
Reverse mortgages target homeowners aged 60 and older who want to borrow money against the value of their property. The top three uses of reverse mortgages are home improvement, regular income and debt repayment.
There are ways to take control of your superannuation. We answer your most frequently asked questions.
25 May 2009 |
The global financial crisis has decimated many Australians’ retirement savings. What steps can you take to rebuild your nest egg? CHOICE looks at your options.
We give you the facts without the advertising hype and expose the dangers.
12 May 2008 |
Setting up your own super fund can give you control and flexibility but it’s also risky. If your accountant or financial planner recommends it make sure it really will give you the best deal before you jump.
What are your options for securing your retirement?
12 May 2008 |
Your June statement might show the worst return in years. Will you have enough money to retire? Should you switch investment options to manage stockmarket risks?
Schemes promoting early access to super have got consumers and the scheme promoters into hot water.
30 Mar 2008 |
Financial services watchdog, ASIC, has been busy chasing and charging promoters of illegal early-release super schemes.
The "Transition to Retirement" rules allow older workers to access their super before they retire.
17 Jan 2008 |
If you're 55 or over you can access your super to start an income stream without having to retire.
Our shadow shop revealed poor advice and information from reverse mortgage sellers.
27 Feb 2007 |
Originally reverse mortgages were sold directly by the lender, but in the last few years mortgage brokers have started to offer these products.
Find out more about how retirement villages are regulated in your state or territory
1 Sep 2003 |
We asked the relevant department in each state a series of questions about how they regulate the retirement village industry.
Ongoing and exit fees make it easy to end up leaving a retirement village with less money than you moved in with.
1 Jun 2003 |
CHOICE's research indicates that a lot of residents become disappointed with their decision to move to a village.
CHOICE crunches the numbers to find the most rewarding cards for frequent flyer, shopping and cash rewards.
19 Mar 2009 |
We analysed 63 reward credit and charge cards, looking at frequent flyer points, shopping vouchers and cash rewards.
It's not as easy as it once was to get decent rewards.
16 May 2008 |
Interest rates and fees have gone up and the number of points able to be earned has gone down because of less generous point conversion rates and the introduction of point caps.