BlackBerry has launched the Dev Alpha C handset at its BlackBerry Jam in Amsterdam to help developers thinking of porting or developing apps for the Qwerty-keyboard-packing Q10 handset. 

The Dev Alpha C phone runs at a screen resolution of 720 x 720 on a 3.1-inch display, which matches exactly with the shrunken version of BlackBerry 10 that will end up running on the as yet unreleased Q10.

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The phone is fairly blocky and thick, but not massive. We don't have size specifics yet, but we imagine the Q10 will be much more compact.

Having a physical keyboard is a bit odd, especially as we are now used to the decent all-touch interface on the Z10. BlackBerry 10 itself feels as if it's had the bottom chopped off it in some parts.

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The keyboard is also backlit which is a nice touch. Just below is the Dev Alpha C logo etched into the matte finish of the device. Above the screen is a front-facing camera, with another camera on the back and a flash next to it.

READ: BlackBerry Q10 pictures and hands-on

On the right-hand side of the phone is a volume rocker, with the lock key on the top. The physical position of buttons on the handset matches the Q10 exactly, as obviously developers will be using it to test apps that will eventually go on sale for the Q10.

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A fun little phone but nowhere near as cool as the red Z10s doing the rounds at the BlackBerry Jam developer conference today.

To apply for the device developers have to submit more than two applications to be given priority seeding for the BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha C. Of those developers 1,500 will be determined on the following point system:

- 50 points for ported Android applications

- 250 points for all other applications (Native, BlackBerry® WebWorks™, Adobe AIR)

- 1,500 points for Built For BlackBerry certified application

- 200 points to start for BlackBerry 10 Dev Alpha A/B recipients

- 200 points to start if you are a BlackBerry Elite Member

- BONUS: 200 points if you contribute to a repo on GitHub.com/BlackBerry between Dec 1 and Feb 5

Developers who think they have all that can apply here.