- BlackBerry’s Leap Smartphone Ditches Keyboard to Attract New Users
- Introducing the Leap
- Brilliant 5-Inch HD Display
- Front and Rear Cameras to Take on the Competition
- A Touch-Screen Keyboard on a BlackBerry Device
- Choose From a Host of Leap Accessories
- BlackBerry Classic Offers the Traditional BlackBerry Experience
- BlackBerry’s Passport Has a Wider Keyboard and Display
BlackBerry’s Leap Smartphone Ditches Keyboard to Attract New Users
By Todd R. Weiss
Introducing the Leap
The Leap’s hardware includes a Qualcomm MSM 8960 1.5GHz processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard flash storage (expandable up to 128GB via a micro SD card). It runs on the latest BlackBerry 10 OS 10.3.1 operating system.
Brilliant 5-Inch HD Display
Included in the new Leap is a 5-inch HD display with 1,280-by-720 resolution for clear, brilliant images and a 2,800mAh battery for long life. The Leap runs on 4G Long-Term Evolution (LTE) networks; weighs 6 ounces; and is 5.67 inches long, 2.87 inches wide and 0.37 inches thick.
Front and Rear Cameras to Take on the Competition
Although aimed at business professionals, the Leap still includes features such as a built-in 8-megapixel auto-focus rear camera with 5x digital zoom and 1080p HD video recording with video stabilization, as well as a front-mounted 2MP fixed-focus camera with 3x digital zoom.
A Touch-Screen Keyboard on a BlackBerry Device
The all-new touch-screen keyboard used in the Leap learns from users as they type and provides personalized next-word suggestions that can be incorporated as users compose their text messages, emails, documents and more.
Choose From a Host of Leap Accessories
Leap owners can also purchase a wide range of Leap accessories from BlackBerry to personalize their devices, from a multimedia headset to a sync pod charging station to a flex shell case that allows users to stand their smartphone for video chats.
BlackBerry Classic Offers the Traditional BlackBerry Experience
With a physical QWERTY keyboard, BlackBerry’s flagship device, the $449 Classic smartphone, allows users who don’t want a touch-screen keyboard to maintain their BlackBerry experiences. The Classic launched last December and includes a smaller 3.5-inch touch-screen HD display.
BlackBerry’s Passport Has a Wider Keyboard and Display
The BlackBerry Passport, which was unveiled in September 2014 for $599, also includes a traditional physical keyboard, but it includes a 4.5-inch-square display that allows 60 characters to be typed across its screen, compared with about 40 for a typical smartphone.