Technology is fast becoming one of my favourite travel buddies. This past weekend in Brussels I found new and exciting ways my BlackBerry can work harder for me.

Reason #1: the built-in camera

I’ve never been the biggest fan of camera phones. I never saw the point in having a phone in your camera when a separate camera is far superior in image quality. However, I’ve begun to see the advantages.

To explain: one of my favourite past-times is frequently supermarkets, especially foreign ones. When I lived in Italy it was a weekend ritual. And one of the best things about foreign supermarkets are the weird brand names. So when, for example, I am wandering around a Belgian supermarket and come across a box of chocolate pudding with the word “Plop” emblazoned across it my first instinct is to take a photo of it.

Now many people get annoyed if you take photos inside a store so when you want to get a quick pic for posterity you want to aim for stealth-like movements. Getting your camera out, switching it on, lining it up and shooting the picture isn’t gonna cut it. Whipping out your phone and pretending that you’re tapping out a text message while aiming it at the box of Plop and snapping your pic in the meantime, on the other hand, is super-stealth and guaranteed to get that shot you can then go and post on Facebook.

Given that my built-in camera takes photos at 1600×1200 resolution the shots actually turn out quite well.

Reason #2: TwitterBerry

What’s the fun of going away if you can’t tell everyone where you are and how much fun you’re having? Twitter is set up to receive SMS updates but at 25p a pop on O2 I’d think twice about sending a tweet. Enter TwitterBerry. Coupled with pay-as-you-go data it allows you to update Twitter for a fraction of the cost. Bragging hat: present.

Reason #3: GPS & Google Maps

What’s the easiest way to spot tourist in the street? Look for the lost soul holding up a map. Maps are all very well and good but what if it’s raining? Your map will turn to pulp before you’ve found the square with cathedral. And what if you don’t want to look like a tourist/mug-ee target? Rather than announcing to the general public that you are in fact lost and are waiting for your money belt to be stolen why not look like you are simply writing a text while waiting for the crosswalk sign to turn green?

Using the GPS function in my BlackBerry coupled with Google Maps and O2’s reasonable data charges I could find out exactly where I was in Brussels and where I wanted to go without drawing unnecessary attention to myself. I just looked like someone who was incredibly engrossed in text messaging (which is actually the case 99% of the time anyway).

Now I just need to find more weird and wonderful ways my BlackBerry can help me when travelling.