As a tech writer covering the wireless beat, I often find myself spending time at parties sitting on a couch installing must-have applications on my friend’s new cell phones.

The situation usually unfolds like this: I walk into the room, say hello, then someone in the crowd excitedly shows me their new BlackBerry. Then they ask me to help them install Facebook and AIM while the rest of the folks play cards, watch TV, or leave for a night out on the town. Me? I’m stuck there beerless on the couch with someone’s new cherry-red Pearl or Curve installing applications because I’m “the only one that knows how.” Excuses.

Not anymore folks. I’ve decided to create a list of ten must-have BlackBerry apps so that anyone with a new handset can visit our site and install the applications we recommend.

My personal choice is Viigo, an impressive RSS reader. I love grabbing the latest headlines and blurbs from my favorite sites for free on the train every morning; but check out all the apps. Each is useful for ordinary tasks like uploading your pictures straight to your favorite social networks with ShoZu or voice-searching for your flight status with Yahoo OneSearch with Voice.

Don’t forget to check out the three free BlackBerry themes I came across the other day, too.