IBM is working hard to bring the benefits of Web 2.0 to the masses. It has already announced its Lotus® Connections and this is just the first step in IBM’s philosophy to bring the new internet technology to business in a way that will be reliable, will give them the options they need, and will help them manage the technology to the greatest benefit.

For some, Web 2.0 is the best thing for users since sliced bread. It is the perfect platform for social interaction and will ultimately be the boost needed for the creation of unique applications.

For others, Web 2.0 is just a social network that is a jumble of unreliable information. It isn’t useful in any practical business sense.

I’m still on the fence. If you looked far enough back in history, I’m sure that computers, in general, were at one time considered impractical. As for the reliability of information, my parents always taught me not to take anyone’s word on a subject. Always back up your information.

Skype has been a force to be reckoned with in the VoIP industry since it first came into the market. It is only making its presence stronger through the use of it own instant messaging system.

For many regular internet users, the instant messenger has replaced emails. It allows for more of a conversational tone that emails, and is quicker to download (for those of us who are still stuck in the dark ages of dialup).

Skype has yet to adjust to the mobile lifestyle that is so prevalent in users today. Even with this major pitfall, the benefits of the service make it a solid contender in the VOIP market. With the improvement of features in the future, it is likely to maintain this position.

Apple is facing a few problems as it tries to push its iPhone.

First, there are some concerns – especially in the corporate world – about the security of the email system that Apple’s iPhone currently utilizes. All the cool functions can’t outweigh the dangers of the wrong eyes getting a peek at company info.

Second, some complain that even with all the great things the Apple iPhone is capable of doing, it is not truly a smart phone. According to Engadget, they are right. Unlike a true smart phone, the Apple offering does not allow for software to be downloaded onto the phone.

Third, AT&T is planning to get its hooks into subscribers and not let go with its long term contract and early termination fees. To date, the AT&T stores, along with the Apple stores, are the only places the iPhone can be purchased.

Even with the pitfalls, there are still many consumers who are waiting eagerly for the release of the Apple iPhone. It’s scheduled release date is June 29, 2007. Despite the fact that they have yet to hold one, tech reviewers are already comparing the multiple features that are offered by the iPhone with those available on most smart phones today.

Cell phone companies are just treating the consumer wrong. As a group, there isn’t much of an out cry, but individual consumers are beginning to speak out.

Most people have faced the situation of trying to terminate a cell phone contract early, especially with so many companies merging. You start with one company that you love, and before you know it you end up with that one company you swore you would never have. Getting away from it is not cheap.

There was a time when you could just buy your own phone and avoid the long term agreements. Now AT&T is doing away with this safety net as well. People who sign up for Apple iPhone contracts will not only pay for the phone (around $500) but they will also have to sign a long term agreement. Just to add insult to injury, there will also be an early termination fee of $175 even though the consumer paid for the iPhone.

AT&T is justifying the move by saying there is costs that are involved with setting up new service. Considering the deep pockets of the consumers that will be buying the iPhone, it is more likely that AT&T is just trying to keep the goods for itself.

Is it possible to live a life online without the Google search engine? For many regular surfers, the answer is no. This is the site a large portion of people use to find all the gizmos and gadgets that they need.

They either don’t like change, or they don’t know that there is something else out there.

There are lots of search engines available today. Some allow for questions, while some focus on keyword searches. Most of the top search engines have features that allow the user to narrow the multitude of results that often come from a common search.

Search directories, which have the results developed by humans instead of computers, tend to narrow the search even further than the top search engines.

Although Google is the top dog in search engines, many of the others that have been around (and even some of the new ones) may give you the results you really want. Change can be good.

A silent internet world is set for June 26.

Because the music industry is demanding higher royalty fees, Internet radio operators are having a “quiet-in” where they will have a full day of playing nothing. To date, Live365 and AccuRadio.com are just two of the broadcaster that will be signing on to be a part of this protest.

Those against the new fees are looking beyond the protest to put a stop to them. They are hoping that a federal appeals court will overturn the royalty rise.

There are some internet radio junkies that are supporting the broadcasters, but even those seem to be concerned about going a full day without the ease of radio online.

If the programs that are available on prime time aren’t bad enough, you can get some really bad stuff for free through the internet. The number of online programs seems to be multiplying like bunnies in the spring.

YouTube and Joost are just some of the sites where you can watch napping cats being flung from rolled out mats or intelligent co-eds having mattress fights in the hallway of the dorm.

Now that video streaming is moving its way into the mainstream and cell phones are capable of providing video footage, everyone wants to produce a television show – or at least get their fifteen minutes (or seconds) of fame.

Although there are some good shows being provided over the internet, for the most part you are likely to get what you paid for.

Time Magazine made YOU the person of the year in 2006. You lives in a world called Web 2.0. You pushes the social engine of the internet market. You blogs; You uses sites like MySpace; and You actively produces the content that exists on the World Wide Web.

The problem with the concept is that the world of Web 2.0 isn’t all that idyllic. Web 2.0 is more controlled by the corporations like Google and Yahoo than many people care to think about it. It is these search engines that determine how information gets out to the world. It is these corporations that create and monitor and profit from the social websites that are being used by some many of the people that Time was looking to credit for the development and expansion of Web 2.0.

The concept of ordinary people doing all the writing, researching, talking, and thinking is a good idea - but it may stop at that stage. The argument that some have against the utopian world of Web 2.0 is that the information is no longer reliable.

A phone doesn’t just have to be a phone anymore. These days, the tiny cell phones that have invaded our world are serving as communication devices, cameras, and even scanners for some users.

The cost of these gadgets can vary in price from painful (around $500) to perfect (free – as a contract with a provider). But are they really any good for more that just to call mom to say hello?

Some users have found that using the camera to copy documents and then downloading them with a usb cable allows them to have a make-shift scanner. It is crude, but it can serve the function.

Most every cell phone today comes with a camera function. PC Magazine recently did a report on the quality of the camera functions for casual users. It will never take the quality of pictures that a high-end digital camera will take, but it is great for those unexpected occasions or for normal, family album type photos.

Cell Phones have taken on a new purpose for most people. They serve as a way to communicate through voice, written words, and even visual. A cell phone can be almost anything you want it to be, for the right price.

Preston Gralla has just listed 25 web sites to watch. Many of these fall into the categories of web 2.0 mashups, mapping, portals, search engines, social media and more.

Over at Webware, Rafe Needleman has announced the Webware 100 winners. This list consists of 100 web 2.0 applications, all of which were voted on by nearly 500,000 visitors. Surprisingly - or maybe not, since they were voted on and are thus familiar apps - I know many more of this bigger list (having written about them or used them) than those in Preston Gralla’s list. The latter list has informed me of several web 2.0 apps I didn’t know about.

My current favorite mashup app is Yahoo Pipes, which I’ve written about at Tubetorial and at Search Engine Journal, amongst other places. It lets you take multiple web feeds, manipulate the information, then produce a custom result feed. The tool, in my opinion, is grossly underrated, but it is a bit quirky because it’s still in beta mode. It has much value as a custom search and content analysis tool.

Microsoft’s Popfly has the same sort of drag and drop builder essence as Pipes. Popfly, however, requires installation of Microsoft Silverlight streaming software, which is similar to Flash, and it lets you build real apps, some that function in 3D. Pipes only produces new RSS feeds, not application.

Both applications are an example of an exciting trend in web-based software. They are part of a wave that are ushering in powerful generation of applications that non-programmers can use.