Pew Internet have published a study looking at the similarities & differences of how men and women use the Internet.
The report can be downloaded in PDF format (free).
BBC News has a useful précis of the document – but at the very basic level the report indicates that men value the internet for the freedom it gives them to try new things, and women enjoy using the Internet to establish and maintain human communication.
As a man, I think finding out how women use the Internet is particularly important. The projects I work on today and in the future will be used by women – and it’s always important to understand your audience.