But with all this frenzied app creation and consumption, there comes a dark side: the pervasive collection of users’ data, many times without their knowledge. We’ve compiled a list of the apps that may get your personal identity in the most trouble.

Latitude

Latitude is one of those apps that doesn’t really hide the fact that it’s transmitting your personal information, but it definitely divulges an undeniably personal level of detail when you’re signed on: your exact physical location.

Granted the app handles profile viewers much the same as any other social media – you must confirm who your friends are and you can quit anytime – but considering the havoc social sites such as Facebook have reeked on people’s lives, it’s easy to see how things could go awry.

For example, if you decide, one day, to scan the world map to see where your “friends” are residing, you may be surprised to find two dots that happen to be right on top of each other. Two friendly phones set on a coffee table, or two of your friends doing the hanky-panky?

If it’s not speculation and gossip you’re worried about, then turn your attention to some of your less scrupulous “friends.” There have already been documented stories of vacationers’ away messages hinting burglars to empty houses ripe for the plucking. With Latitude, you don’t even need to leave town for the weekend to be had; one of your “friends” just has to see that you happen to be cruising the shopping mall on the opposite side of town.

Google Searches – Maps, Web, etc.

If you’re so sure you’d never be so stupid as to give away your location information, think about Google’s Maps or Web searches. While you may be under the impression that your location information is merely between you and Google to get you to the closest vegan, gluten-free café in town, think again. The truth is you agreed when you downloaded the app that Google could share your data with third parties.

While Google uses the defense of full disclosure (i.e. it mentions what data the app has access to in the fine print before the download occurs), it is believed that many independently created apps could be violating these rules.

Facebook

Facebook is another giant that was found to be divulging information; in this case phone IDs that could potentially give third-party advertisers your name and friends list. The mere scale of this is what makes it most disturbing – tens of millions of people according to a Wall Street Journal investigation.

Paper Toss

Despite the fact that many smartphone owners justify the device’s purchase based on its ability to offer a vast array of life management capabilities, games are believed to be the most downloaded type of app. Which brings us to Paper Toss; one review lauds the thrilling prospect that this game is “so realistic, you will think you are stuck in an office killing time”.

If the lure of workplace drudgery digitized at your fingerprints is too much to avoid, consider what kind of information Paper Toss collects and distributes about its users. Turns out, the app game has already given out users’ unique phone ID number to several different ad companies.

And, depending on what kind of phone you have, the ID number can give a range of information. Apple’s UDID is a 40-digit alphanumeric code that acts as a lifelong serial number for the phone. Android phones have an Android ID that is able to be reset. BOTH are transmitted unknowingly by several app providers. To make it more complicated is the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, an ID number that is used to lock phones when users report them stolen. Five Android apps were already found to be sending this number to one or more outside companies.

Pandora

Pandora is one of the most downloaded apps for smartphones, and with good reason. Who doesn’t love streaming music digitally cooked to perfection?

The point is that Android and iPhone versions of this wildly popular app have been revealed to transmit information about users’ age, gender, and location. Age and gender data are usually fodder for marketing companies, nothing too wildly insidious. But why must location play a role in designing music tastes? Is Pandora embarking on a journey to change the world, one song at a time? “Oh, look, this user is walking along the bridge, skip Van Halen’s “Jump”” Or is it for control over the masses? “User has entered assimilation facility; cue up Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Machine.”

So, next time you’re zipping through your smart phone’s app store with reckless abandon, stop and ponder who might be watching and just how much they already know.

About the Author

Jon Lee is a freelance writer who’s interests are helping people with money saving ideas. His articles have been featured on large online savings sites such as Savoo.

Samsung released the update to one of their latest handsets, the Samsung Galaxy S. They announced the Samsung Galaxy S2 will be being released soon and also LG released their innovative, and one of a kind handset the LG Optimus 3D. Arguably this handset stole the show at MWC but there’s been a lot of people who have given it bad reviews some even saying that it’s a ‘gimmick’ as the 3D features aren’t very prominent and that you have to look at the screen straight on in order to be able to see the 3D effects take place.

Some people are asking what the need for a 3D device is and LG have responded by saying that it’s a one of a kind handset and they haven’t focussed solely on the 3D side of the handset because according to Techradar who have had some hands on time with the handset it comes complete with 3 cameras, yes 3 cameras! One on the front of the handset and two on the back of the handset, and this is what enables the handset to record video in 3D so if you want to video your mates doing something stupid and watch it back in 3D then this is your phone.

There was a few new phones from Sony Ericsson who have finally jumped on the Android bandwagon with their three new handsets. One of them you’ll have heard more about than the other handstes, that being the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play. The hotly anticipated phone from Sony Ericsson combines the best of both worlds, a games console and a mobile phone in one nifty little device and the plus side is that for any of you PlayStation fans out there, you can download PlayStation games straight onto the handset and then you’re set for a few hours of fun.

The other handsets that have been released are the Sony Ericsson ARC and the Sony Ericsson Xperia Neo. Both are very similar handsets and some very little differences, but on the whole both are very good handsets.

There are also two other handsets from HTC which are Facebook branded, the HTC ChaCha and the HTC Salsa. We don’t really know what all this Facebook branding is about but all we have to say is that Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg really are trying to muscle in on every possible market that they can.

Local services have seen massive development in the world of search, with Google and Yahoo each offering geo-targeted search results, specialized map listings, and integration with Google Earth and Maps for optimum business exposure. Now, leading social network Facebook appears to be taking the same steps, aiming to integrate local businesses and locations into its mobile application.

Facebook is the world’s largest social network, with over 400 million active users. With the local networking space currently controlled by small applications such as FourSquare, Facebook’s move into local networking and communications could change the way mobile users find and choose businesses.

Marketing publication Ad Age reported that McDonalds is in the process of developing an application which will allow Facebook users to alert their friends whenever they dine at a McDonalds restaurant. Other location-based businesses plan to do the same, gaining exposure and potential viral coverage whenever their activities are reported online.

Facebook has been available as a mobile application for several years, with mixed results for the company. While advertising revenue is reportedly lower from the mobile phone platform, involvement levels and usage is significantly higher, with mobile users sending the bulk of messages and engaging in applications more frequently than PC-based Facebook users.

The potential implications for local businesses are endless, the most obvious of which is the increased exposure caused by Facebook’s new local platform. Businesses are currently forced to use services such as Yelp, which have recently been questioned on their direction and business model. A free alternative offered by Facebook could see businesses quickly adapt.

The service is currently unreleased, although technology industry reporters believe it will appear on Facebook’s homepage and mobile platform within the coming month. Smartphone users will be able to access location-based features through GPRS and 3G, or by using wifi at local business points.

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/laughingsquid/986542579/