Important IM information

Almost as if it was kismet, Microsoft’s MSN Messenger 6.0 was released today. You guessed it. Still no video conferencing. The good news is that the MacBU is on top of it and only waiting for the protocols that will be used to be finalized. This comes hot on the heels of the Yahoo and MSN IM networks merging.

What do consumers think of interoperability? Thanks to Dan Frakes (and market research from OutCast Communications), we know.

• 24% of respondents said that connecting IM services is the best thing to happen since the cell phone
• 57% of respondents had friends or family that used an IM service different than their own
• 35% of students over 18 years old use more than one IM service, and

That’s good and well. People are frustrated with not being able to communicate easily with MSN and Yahoo users using iChat (without using Jabber transports). The real question is what will they give up?

• 29% said they’d be willing to give up watching American Idol
• 16% said they’d give up ice cream for one month
• 15% are willing to give up their morning cup of coffee
• 15% said they’d give up their morning paper

I don’t know about the last three, but I’d certainly agree with the first group.