Developers attending the BlackBerry 10 Jam (held in parallel to BlackBerry World) have been provided with a free development device known as the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha. It is designed to allow them to test their BlackBerry 10 applications before BlackBerry 10 devices are available. RIM also continues to reiterate that this is not the final design:
The BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha is not a BlackBerry 10 smartphone for end users nor does it run the final BlackBerry 10 software – it’s been created just for our developer partners to help them prepare for the launch of BlackBerry 10.
BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha specifications:
- Operating system: Modified BlackBerry Tablet OS
- Cellular connectivity: Cellular ready (micro SIM)
- Other connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- Display: 4.2-inch XGA (1024×768)
- Input: Capacitive touchscreen
- Storage: 16GB onboard
- Connectors: Micro-USB, micro-HDMI
RIM will push OTA updates to the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha as new BlackBerry 10 features are added and made ready for developers to work with. Whether it gets the final version of BlackBerry 10 appears unlikely though.
Best of all for those who have the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha in hand, they will be able to later exchange it for a limited edition final BlackBerry smartphone if they publish a BlackBerry 10 app. The move certainly makes sense if the prototype never gets upgraded to the final version of BlackBerry 10.
Read more: Inside BlackBerry and CrackBerry (via Twitter)