Internet’S Gender Gap Closing Fast

Gender equality has reached the Internet far faster than some expected.

A new survey by International Data Group predicts that the number of women using online services this year is likely to match the number of men online.

Women have closed the gap with a big jump in Internet use over the past year, according to International Data.

Males dominated the Internet as recently as four years ago. By late 1997, however, about 43 percent of people online were women. That grew to 48 percent at the end of last year, International Data says, and women could gain a majority this year.

Here’s a sampling of new or interesting Web sites suitable for surfers of either gender:

* Just the facts: To tap into one of America’s premier information sources, point your browser at the Consumer Information Center, which offers a wealth of data on subjects ranging from autos and homes to financial matters.

Visitors to the agency’s Web site can read and download more than 200 helpful federal publications for free. The site also has links to hundreds of other Web locations, including federal agencies and consumer help organizations.

http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov

* Cheap lodging: Travel services are a top Internet draw, and competition among vendors often means extra savings for consumers.

One company - Hotel Reservations Network - currently is offering travelers who book hotel accommodations through its Web site rebates of up to $50.

Customers who book between today and March 31 for stays anytime during 1999 will receive $10 when booking accommodations for two nights, $20 for booking four nights, $30 for five nights, $40 for six nights and $50 for seven nights.

Customers need to print and mail in an online coupon to receive the rebate. The promotion is limited to 27 destinations in the U.S., Canada and Europe, including Seattle, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Reno, Disneyland, Disney World, and Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia.

http://www.hoteldiscount.com