The 21st century is rapidly unfolding and when it comes to technological invention and ingenuity, the classic sci-fi writers are probably rolling over in their stardust graves, wondering: “Man, why didn’t I think of that?” There has been endless speculation about the benefits and inherent pitfalls of such widespread technology in our lives. Are we obsessed with our gadgets? Do we live in a techno-glut? One thing is for certain: Our private lives have spilled into the public sector, and we are all aiming to be on the same information frequency. This is why there will be a line halfway down Fifth Avenue when the iPhone 5 is released in 2012.

For every teenage girl who stumbles into traffic or knocks over a display case in the mall because she is hyper-focused on the narrow confines of her cell screen, there is an app or info tool that has been developed for educational purposes or to make our lives easier. However, let’s call a spade a spade…apps are fun. They are frivolous amusements that are a natural extension of old school casual games. This is not some Unabomber rant about the intrinsic horrors of technology and the apocalypse of the capitalist machine. This is an insider’s guide to some of most anticipated apps of 2012. From the trite and frivolous time wasters to the tools that will get us from point A to point B, here, in no particular order, is a look at the top 5 most anticipated apps of the year.

Breakout Boost
Gaming is the heavenly nebula of the app universe. There are countless games you can play between office meetings and subway stops. Breakout Boost, a new app designed by Atari for the iPhone, is a retooled and modified version of BlackBerry’s famous BrickBreaker game. For those of you who grew up playing classics like Tetris, you know how important is it to have a challenging and addictive game at your fingertips. There is one drawback. The first five levels are free, while the next 200 hundred will set you back 99 cents. It’s a small price to pay for hours of mindless fun.

Wenzani
The next time you are in a foreign city, forget about lugging around that worn and earmarked guidebook. In this day and age, there is no reason to look like a lost tourist. You can blend in with the cell phone wielding crowd by using Wenzani to discover the hottest places to eat, shop, and bar crawl. Frommers and Lonely Planet provide expert recommendations, but the app also features a real time recommendation option, where friends can give you advice via Facebook or Twitter. Future improvements on Wenzani will take into account weather conditions and the time of year. That outdoor patio in SoHo is not going to work in January.

Google Currents
Newspapers are passé. The industry is in peril. There is no end to the stream of currents and tickers that supply us with up-to-the-minute global reporting. However, Google Currents stands out for its simplicity and easy-to-use design. The best part about Google Currents is that you are not relegated to using only the preselected publications, but can add your own personal favorites. It is like getting twenty newspapers delivered to your door free every morning.

TiVo App
TiVo is scheduled to launch an app for the Android this year. It will enable you to record scheduled shows up to two weeks in advance. It will also allow you to view all of your TV services. From Netflix to Amazon Instant Video accounts, your entire television universe will be easily accessible.

Jolicloud
The organization and access of information and data is the cornerstone of the modern world. Jolicloud, an Android app that is due to launch later this year, will allow you to access and organize data stored in the cloud. It’s like a giant virtual filing cabinet where all of your personal and social data is streamlined and made available no matter where you are in the world.

Are apps important to our daily life or are they entertainments akin to a modern pinball machine? Or do they simply make our existence more globalized, homogenized and uniform? When it comes to technology and technological products, these are the wrong questions to ask. It is up to the consumer to choose what is best for them. And as the old adage goes: the customer is always right.