But more than just police can snoop in on your conversations, said Steve Scott, an information security specialist for the University of Utah. Scott said in order to keep the U.'s systems secure, many information technology specialists attend "hackers" conferences to learn about the latest ways to defend against people who abuse technology. Scott said a new trend has been people hacking cell phones by activating a phone's speaker without the user's knowledge to listen in on conversations.

Along that line, Scott said hackers have developed Bluetooth-sniffing guns, which can listen in on wireless cell-phone head sets as well as download data from hand-held devices that wirelessly synchronize to computers — that could include phone or bank account numbers, depending on what a person keeps on their PDA. Although those actions may sound sinister, Scott acknowledged most of these techniques are used by hackers for the gee-whiz value of doing it.

Celling and selling

New cell phone technology has proven beneficial to law enforcement.

"It has been used to catch crooks and criminals," Schwartz said. "When used correctly, it has great use."

But Schwartz said problems loom on the horizon.

Many cell phone companies plan on using global positioning technology to create buddy lists, similar to online chat services like America Online and Yahoo! However, these lists will tell you where your friends are.

"They're hoping to aim this at young people so they can track friends at the mall," he said.

Companies now offer parents the ability to not only keep tabs on their teens using their cell phones, but also keep track of how fast they are driving. But marketers could also make use of that.

"What we're most afraid of is your cell phone is going to ring and they're going to say, 'Come into our store, we have a sale,' " Schwartz said. "This could spell massive marketing abuses on the cell phone."

Worse yet, the Center for Democracy and Technology is concerned about who can keep track of whom. Global positioning technology could lend a sinister hand to a stalker or abusive spouse in finding the whereabouts of a victim.

Unfair advantages?

Back at the University of Utah, tech experts are working on the latest defenses against technology abuse, even in the classroom. Use of wireless technology has created a growing concern over cheating during exams.

Stephen Hess, vice president of academic affairs and information technology at the U., said current classroom policy is to have students leave their cell phones and PDAs under their desks. Hess said researchers at the university are working on devices that can block wireless signals in a classroom during tests.