Palm Pilot users will be able to switch address book information between their Palm devices, mobile phones and PCs using a new piece of software due next year.

The news comes after 3Com today announced an investment of $4 million in UK startup Paragon Software, which develops synchronisation software for mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs).

Paragon's software is already used by companies including Ericsson, Nokia and Microsoft for data synchronisation between mobile phones and PCs. Paragon said it is adapting its software for use with the Palm platform.

"Clearly we'll be supporting the Palm Pilot. We'll be shipping product in the first half of next year," said Colin Calder, managing director of Paragon.

Paragon's Fonebook, Fonenote and Fonesync products let users build contact databases, send text messages and synchronise address book information between a mobile phone and a PC.

3Com, one of several second-round funding investors in Paragon, said it would be looking for ways in which it can exploit Paragon's technology.

"We at 3Com will be observing closely the development of Paragon's technology for ways that it might play a role in 3Com's future products and services," said Janice Roberts, senior vice president of business development at 3Com.

The company, based in Newbury, Berkshire, and with offices in San Jose, California, is developing technology that will let users sychronise with Internet-based databases.

"Many portals have added things like personal address books. You'll be able to synchronise the content of those address books with your mobile phone," said Calder.

"Looking at information today, it tends to be on the desktop, but in the future people may choose to access their address book on any desktop using any device," he added.

Calder will give details of relationships with several portals, including Yahoo, Excite and Lycos, in the next few months.