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Battery life
Given the small size, the Curve 9350 turns in nearly six hours of talk time from the 1000 mAhr battery. If you're just surfing the web, watching videos, and listening to music, then you should get much more. It's rated to supply 45 hours of music playback through headphones, and nine hours of video as well as 14 days of standby time. Of course, if you need more battery life, simply pick up a couple of extra batteries and keep them charged.
Connectivity
Connection-wise, the Curve 9350 only offers 3G and Wi-Fi, with no option for 4G. We found Sprint's 3G network to be adequate in our neck of the woods, but your mileage may vary. Wi-Fi was our connection speed of choice, although we would often have a full signal while information would seem to trickle over. There were never any real connection issues, but it did lag from time to time.
The optional BlackBerry Desktop Software that you can install on your Mac or PC is definitely worth getting (it's free) as it syncs immediately with iTunes, your contacts and calendars, provides upgrades, and more. It's a nice piece of software offering a high level of access to your phone and surpasses offerings from other phone makers, even Apple.
Maps and apps
The Curve 9350 comes with a fair amount of pre-installed software, including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and a lot more. There are also a lot of useful business apps, including Documents To Go, a voice recorder, a password keeper, and others. You can also add a slew of new apps via the BlackBerry App World, although don't look for anything even close to the Android or iOS marketplaces.
The included Maps app is more powerful than you would expect, and while it doesn't provide voice navigation, it will give you turn-by-turn instructions, and you can adjust your route to avoid freeways, traffic, and more. Plus there are plenty of options that allow you to send directions to someone else, find nearby deals, and search for locations.
