AOL publishes annual report on IM usage patterns

Here's interesting reading: AOL's third annual Instant Messenging Trend Survey. The report comments on the community's openness to IM TV, 33% of users IM from their mobile devices, 47% change their away messages at least once per day.

With the exception of a 90-day trial period in which I ran the mobile version of MSN Messenger while testing the XV6600, a couple integrated teleconns with Microsoft folks, and a 3-day flirtation with ICQ circa 1999, I've actually stayed out of the IM playroom. It's too intrusive, not enough people my age (key factor) do it locally, it hasn't rally matured locally as a business tool, and it exponentially introduces the same disadvantages to my social life and sanity as PIM apps; it takes more time to maintain them than to actually use them.