Disagreements about the lack of certain features aside, Apple clearly had casual computer users in mind when building the iPad. Still, that doesn't mean Apple will ignore enterprise users, which have been adopting the iPhone in growing numbers.

iWork is a nod to users who need to get work done using an iPad. Pages, Numbers, and Keynote cover word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation tasks. The iPad can also be attached to a projector to give a presentation directly from the device. You can still import and export files compatible with Microsoft's Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, just like you can with the desktop versions.

If for some reason iWork won't serve your productivity needs, at the very least it serves as a proof of concept. Microsoft could develop iPad versions of Office apps if it determines that the demand was there. And, while Office is pervasive in the corporate world, the potential for productivity apps from other vendors is there as well—Omni is already talking about porting OmniGraffle to the iPad, for instance.

The iPad still retains the enterprise features of iPhone OS, including Exchange ActiveSync support for e-mail, contacts, and calendars. But according to AppleInsider's sources, Apple has some enterprise-friendly features planned for the iPad that haven't yet been publicly announced. One feature is a planned ability to access standard file servers on a local network. The other is the ability to print to networked printers. Combined with Office-compatible iWork apps, an iPad could be useful for many routine business tasks.

These features won't make the iPad appealing for every business. Especially in larger corporate environments, admins still need better management tools than Apple currently offers for its mobile devices. And security must remain a priority, since many corporations have legal responsibilities to protect certain kinds of data.

Still, its good to see Apple is thinking about some of the business use cases for the iPad, since its size and weight will likely appeal to some enterprise users.