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A recent survey may highlight what kind of service smartphone and PDA users are looking from service and content providers, at least in the US.

AOL's study of email addiction reveals that people on average check their email five times a day, and that 59% of mobile users open new messages as they arrive.

Despite the numerous developments in communications technology over the last few years, email continues to be relevant as a need-for-connectivity driver. Many customers want to be connected anywhere at anytime, if only to have constant access to their email.

An interesting piece of info is that out of the cities surveyed, Washington D.C. stands out as the most email-addicted, with 82 percent maintaining multiple accounts. You can now cue the poor productivity jokes here, as US politicians and their staff are currently too busy handling their email to get anything significant done.

It's also interesting to note why AOL is marketing this survey: another try for them to try and restore their importance as a content provider?