Just days after BlackBerry officially launched BlackBerry 10, the Z10 smartphone and Q10 smartphone, it has released a new Dev Alpha C smartphone with a physical QWERTY keyboard and an updated SDK.

The new Dev Alpha C is available for developers to build apps for BlackBerry 10 smartphones featuring a QWERTY keyboard like the BlackBerry Q10. BlackBerry also updated its BlackBerry 10 SDK which now has built-in support for the QWERTY-equipped BlackBerry Q10.

The Dev Alpha C smartphone isn't the most attractive smartphone available, but its main purpose isn't in the looks department - it's a way for developers to make sure their apps work when the BlackBerry Q10 is released sometime in April. When BlackBerry announced the Z10 and Q10, many people were disappointed that the Q10 would ship after the release of the Z10 and would only be available in April. Many were hoping BlackBerry would release the device sooner for all those BlackBerry lovers who will not part with their QWERTY keyboard. Instead, BlackBerry decided to release the all-touch Z10 smartphone first.

BlackBerry stated that the Q10 would be available sometime in April, but is that wishful thinking since they're just releasing a Dev Alpha C device based on the BlackBerry Q10?  BlackBerry has posted on its blog that developers will be able to create applications for both the Z10 and Q10 with very little effort.

It will be interesting to see which of the two devices will turn out to be the more popular choice among consumers. Will people want an all-touch BlackBerry or the more traditional BlackBerry sporting a QWERTY keyboard? It appears that BlackBerry wants to cover all its bases by releasing two very different smartphone designs catering to its customers who swear by the BlackBerry physical QWERTY keyboard as well as customers wanting a device more similar to competing smartphones like the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3.