Image, main specs of BlackBerry 10 dev handset revealed
updated 10:00 am EDT, Tue May 1, 2012
BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha handset sport 4.2-inch, 1280x768 touchscreen
A second, more official image of the recently leaked BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha unit surfaced on Tuesday. The image is accompanied by some specs, with the smartphone sporting a 4.2-inch touchscreen with 1280x768 resolution. The handsets are expected to be distributed to developers for the BlackBerry 10 platform at the BlackBerry World conference that started in Orlando, Florida on Tuesday.
The developer test phone otherwise has 16GB of storage space built-in and 1GB of RAM. Thus far, it runs on the PlayBook OS and not BB 10, though qualified developers will leave the event with a handset running on BB 10. Connections include a micro USB port and HDMI output. Earlier reports had about 2,000 phones ready for distribution.
This device will not be sold to consumers, though the codenamed London handset may be similar in terms of size and form factor and become an actual product users can buy. If a hardware QWERTY keyboard version is coming soon remains to be seen
Actual BlackBerry 10 handsets won't arrive until sometime in the latter half of this year, however. Either way, the OS should bring many upgrades and changes to the BlackBerry ownership experience, and we hear BB 10 will revolve around swipes rather than presses for navigation on the touchscreen.
