Now that 50 percent of all smartphones coming out of Palm are based on Windows Mobile, more people than ever are making the transition from a Palm OS device to a Microsoft-based device. Readers often ask about what's the best way to port PIM data from their Palm platform Treo to their new Windows Mobile Treo, for example.

Palm has a very useful article in its Support Knowledge Library that explains exactly how to do this successfully. Of course, the tips offered in this article apply when porting data from any Palm OS device to any Windows Mobile device.

Because all Windows Mobile devices sync with Microsoft Outlook, you must have a copy of that application before you begin. Nearly all Windows Mobile vendors bundle a copy with their devices (HP is the notable exception), so if you don't have Outlook on your PC already you should be okay.

Here are two scenarios to keep in mind:

If you use the Palm Desktop, you will need migrate to Outlook and use that as your PIM manager on your PC. That's because Windows Mobile devices do not sync with Palm Desktop. (Click here to learn how to migrage from the Palm Desktop to Outlook).

If you use Outlook, the transition will be easier, since your PIM data is already in Outlook. Simply install ActiveSync from your smartphone's CD, connect the ActiveSync cable to your smartphone and desktop PC, and let the synchronization begin automatically.

ActiveSync replaces HotSync Manager as your synchronization mechanism. The ActiveSync application on your desktop PC also takes care of software installations. (Microsoft has replaced ActiveSync with an app called Windows Mobile Device Center with Windows Vista.

Your previous Palm OS device's settings, third-party applications and historic data will not migrate to the new Windows Mobile device.