This article could be out of date, as it was published 11 months 11 days ago.

Alcatel-Lucent has offered kiwis a sneak peek at its forthcoming OpenTouch Conversation collaboration solution, which builds on the functionality of the standard OpenTouch platform with a ‘sexy’ interface built specifically for tablet devices like the iPad.

The upgrade is due for release here in Q4, with support for other devices like smartphones and PCs to roll out in the six months after that.

The goal of the OpenTouch platform is to unify the user’s various devices into one cohesive unit, allowing people to switch between their office phone, PC, smartphone or tablet, with a single gesture and without breaking the conversation.

The user-friendly OpenTouch Conversation interface adds special tablet features like drag-and-drop functionality .

Of course, this isn’t the only solution of its kind – Polycom has shown off a similar offering at its Solution Showcase in Auckland – but Alcatel-Lucent’s solution did pick up the ‘best in show’ collaboration product award at last month’s Interop IT expo, with the judges praising the platform’s usability.

Alcatel-Lucent has recently named Connector Systems as its New Zealand distributor. Go here for more on OpenTouch Conversation.