Since Apple’s Steve Jobs loped onto the stage in San Francisco to unveil his latest digital creation, the vast majority of coverage has focused on what the device will do for consumers. But I see big potential in the corporate world as well.

I should say at the outset I’m not an Apple fan boy. While I acknowledge beautiful design when I see it, the “Do it our way or no way” ethos espoused by Apple makes me squirm.

That said, there is a lot to like about the iPad and I believe it will provide a healthy kick to what has until now been a very lacklustre category: tablet devices.

But what place will they have in the business world? Here’s five potential uses to start the ball rolling:

* Stepping closer to the paperless office

Much of daily corporate dealings still rely on paper. Everything from reports and memos to invoices and stock sheets find themselves in paper form at some point in their lives. Equipping managerial staff with iPads could go a long way to alleviating many paper trails. The good sized screen means things that would have been habitually printed out to read or take on the road can now remain in electronic form.

* Slicker customer proposals

The relatively low cost of the iPad will allow them to be incorporated as part of big client proposals. Why just leave a print out of a PowerPoint presentation we you could leave an electronic copy, together with embedded audio and video, for the CEO to enjoy at their leisure? If it wins you the big contract, an iPad is a small investment to make.

* Better media monitoring

Rather than subscribing to multiple magazines and newspapers for the office, switch to electronic versions and have them downloaded to a number of shared devices. Staff can borrow them to read as required, returning them to the pool when they’ve finished. It’s a big step forward from sharing that dog-eared magazine that’s a month out of date.

* Replacing notebooks

Face it. Many people who lug around notebook PCs only use a fraction of their capabilities. Equipping selected staff with iPads could reduce both costs and shoulder strain.

* New business opportunities
Once there is a critical mass of iPads in the market, new and unforseen business opportunities will emerge. The device could revolutionise everything from books and magazines to games and video. Keep an open mind to what this could mean for your business.

So, there’s five. What other corporate uses can you see for the iPad?