Everyone is aware that in the U.S. daylight-saving time is coming three weeks earlier this year, on March 11. But did you know your smartphone applications and operating system could be affected by the daylight-saving time bug, just as easily as desktop software programs? Here are some suggestions to keep things running smoothly.

1. Check with your mobile operating system provider or smartphone vendor for any updates or patches related to daylight-saving time. Microsoft, Research In Motion, and Palm all have posted updates and patches on their Web sites to prevent smartphone calendars and clocks from displaying the wrong times and dates once the switchover happens.

2. Make sure you have the right time zone selected on your smartphone. Some tools won't properly update the daylight-saving time settings, unless you manually change the time zone. Smartphone users in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico will be affected by the switchover.

3. Pay special attention to calendar appointments scheduled on your smartphone from March 11 to April 1, 2007, and Oct. 28 to Nov. 4, 2007. Daylight-saving time will now start three weeks earlier (2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March) and will end one week later (2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday in November).

If your smartphone was issued to you by your employer, ask your IT support about the steps you should take. It's possible the update will be sent to you automatically. Better safe than sorry!

Got any other useful tips? Please share.