Press Releases CHOICE # 330 (April 15, 2004) Council test reveals unsafe mobile phone batteries on the market Guidance on domestic helper insurance plans to give you peace of mind Advice on hassle-free overseas removal service Council concerned over low level of awareness of WLAN security Slimmers at risk of insufficient calcium intake for bone health Meanwhile in this April issue of CHOICE is included a special report on age-related macular degeneration. Senior citizens are advised that they are particularly vulnerable to a disease of the macula, the central point of the retina in the eye. Patients having this disease may lose their central vision and, in serious cases, may even become legally blind. The causes, symptoms and treatments of this disease are outlined for the reference of consumers; and an Amsler chart is also printed for readers to assess their eyesight, though it must be stressed that the use of this chart cannot substitute for actual examination by eye care professionals. According to a medical expert in the field, the incidence of age-related macular degeneration is rising rapidly while the affected individuals are getting younger. Other highlights in this (330) issue of CHOICE include: Digital Cameras - In this update were published the test results of 15 digital compact cameras and 1 digital SLR camera (mainly for professional use) with output resolution ranging from 2 to 8 million pixels and with most around 3 to 4 million pixels. The results showed: the overall picture quality of most samples was deemed satisfactory with some better than the others; the flash performance, versatility and ease of use differed significantly; and most samples had good battery performance, a significant improvement compared with models tested a year or two ago. MP3 Players - 49 models (priced from $1,000 to $4,000) were surveyed, 5 with hard disk as memory storage (capacity from 1.5 GB to 40 GB) and 44 with flash memory (capacity from 128 MB to 1 GB). The survey showed: most could store different kinds of data files; some could directly encode digital music files from audio equipment like CD players without the need to connect to a computer; and besides playback of MP3 music files, many could act as a radio tuner and a voice recorder. Effective immediately, CHOICE is also available online at http://choice.yp.com.hk Members from the media who are invited by this Council to the Press Conference may quote the content of this Press Statement. The Consumer Council reserves all its right (including copyright) in respect of CHOICE Magazine and Online CHOICE ( http://choice.yp.com.hk ).