So the latest buzz with Google is it’s latest project called Caffeine. In theory, it’s supposed to speed up web searches and the returns more relevant to those searches. I’ve tried it out and haven’t noticed much difference, but I think this beta test is more geared towards web developers and the like. What I’m hoping Caffeine will do is get a lot of people excited about Google’s projects. Maybe more people will discover what a great web browser Chrome is, or they could get excited for their upcoming operating system with the same name. Even if a few more people test out Google Squared or Audio Indexing, I think it will really help spur more growth from this behemoth. With all the talk of Google soon becoming a monopoly, I think some take for granted the innovations coming out now. After Microsoft secured it’s place on top, it never really needed to go any further. Vista and Internet Explorer, anyone? So if you like Google how it is right now, I beg you to help it keep changing. Test out Caffeine here

So recently, the Xbox 360 received an update. This is relevant to me because I own one of these machines, just as it’s relevant to the thousands of families across the country. But to those without a keen enough eye, some important new features may slip by them completely unnoticed. I know that many parents are still unaware of the parental controls available, as I could play Halo 3 at two in the morning on a Tuesday and still deal with a handful of preteens squeaking out rancorous trash talk. So, for the tech illiterate and parents with Xboxes, let me run down some of the features now available and the features soon to be.

1. New Stuff to Buy-
Microsoft went all out in increasing it’s virtual marketplace. More movies are available through netflix, full Xbox 360 games are available for download, and now premium items are being sold for your online avatar. Along with the fact that all of these features are now even easier to use, I’d forewarn impulse buyers and parents to keep the credit card far from your console. But for those who have a stash of Microsoft points laying around, this is an early Christmas.

2. Ease of Use-
The last update provided a much smoother interface, but there was still some difficulty in navigating through all of the Xbox 360’s functions, and Xbox Live still had a number of quirks. This seems to be fixed with the latest update. Netflix is a lot more intelligent about how it organizes it’s content, the Xbox can auto-detect the display so it can always run at the highest resolution, and the dashboard has a number of new shortcuts to the most important features. But the cleverest new features, I think, are the ability to download game manuals and a new rating system for Arcade games. This means it’ll be easier and faster to find great games and learn how to play them.

3. Socializing-
This was the aspect of the update Microsoft was most proud of, if their press releases were any indication. Multiple party invites can now be sent at once, dropped connections are now fixed automatically, and now Netflix will let Xbox Live friends watch some movies together. Its just like watching a movie together with actual friends, except without the ‘together’ or ‘friends’ part.

Oh, and facebook, twitter, Last.fm, and Zune will be available soon. That alone caused many excited squeals and annoyed groans.

Please, Xbox owners and parents of kids with Xboxes, I implore you, take a look at what’s going on with this. There are only going to be more updates, and soon this gaming console will be able to do hundreds of things you never expected.

Oh, and to the parents of L33tBR- stop giving your kid caffeine. It’s doing him no favors.

So anyone, as it turns out I may need to switch out my ethernet connection with a wireless one. Problem is, the antenna that comes with my old wireless adapter isn’t terribly reliable. I asked around, and it turns out I’m not alone. Most everyone with wireless Internet wants to boost their signal strength and have a fast connection. Even if the PC says the connection is good, there are still plenty of packets of information floating around in the air. After a little digging, I’ve found a small DIY project that I bet even my mom could do. It’s called the cantenna-

All it takes is a can, some bolts, copper wire, and the proper connectors. If this project turns out well, I’ll post it step by step with instructions as easy as baking pie (actually, I hope it’s easier than that- I’m terrible at cooking!).

Actually, I have to admit that cyberbullying is a real threat to many kids today. But only because kids are really, really freaking stupid. Tell me- would there even be a problem if people weren’t as emotionally invested with computers? I saw a video of a girl telling reporters about how someone took a picture off her MySpace account and made a fake site, which caused her to lose many of her friends. My thought after watching that was, basically, her friends trusted their computers more than they did her.

As I see it, cyberbullying only really began when social networks like MySpace and Facebook started becoming part of our society, when asking for a friend request was as natural as asking for a phone number. At this point, kids got the chance to interact with each other in a brand new way. But instead of adapting with the Internet, they brought their schoolyard rules with them. The cliques, popularity contests, and attention-seeking ploys are all natural ways for kids to establish their social identities, but these social rules aren’t the same as they are on the Internet.

The slang IRL is definitive proof of this. It dates back to early 90’s chatrooms and stands for In Real Life. Did those early chatters mean to imply that interaction over a computer network was less real than face-to-face conversation? Although, back then, no one was stupid enough to use their real names.

To further my point, I have been called many bad names on the Internet. People have used racial slurs to insult me even though most don’t even apply to me. In forums, I have been likened to Adolf Hitler for sharing my viewpoint. None of this bothers me. In fact, I do the same to these people quite often. Sometimes, it’s even amusing.

But if a pretty girl were to walk up to me and point out a blemish on my face, it’d bother me for the rest of the day.

The problem is, well-meaning parents are going six kinds of crazy trying to root out “cyberbullies” by filtering the sites their children their children can visit, trying to bring about laws to monitor the Internet, and attempting to punish those who dare to say mean things about their children, when all it calls for is a shift in perspective.

Perhaps kids might be better off if they stopped sharing their personal lives with strangers, or if they developed friendships without relying so much on their computer, or if they found something bad about them, they simply logged off. Parents could help out more if they stopped drying their child’s eyes let them learn how to separate Real Life from the Internet, or if they stopped chasing anonymous people on the Internet, or if they were really worried, gave their kids just a little time with a lifeless machine.

There’s a joke that circulates between experienced Internet users. They sometimes say, “The Internet is serious business.” Why would they find that so funny?

Because it’s a non-sequitur.