1. Mapping

This could be the first real killer app -- the iPad has GPS and a large touchscreen. Slap TomTom on there and you could have the best SatNav ever. If future versions incorporate a camera, then there's the tantalising possibility of 'augmented reality'. Imagine pointing the iPad's camera at a street and getting road names placed over each junction.

2. Jukebox

The iPad could sound the death-knell for traditional hi-fis. Hook up a Mac to your speaker system and use the Apple Remote app to easily browse your music collection. It's perfect for shops and bars where you don't want staff fiddling under the counter as they change CDs.

3. Menu

Lots of restaurants now use handheld computers to take orders and beam them to the kitchen. Why not cut out the middleman and put an iPad menu on the table? You can view pictures of the dishes, read detailed wine tasting notes, get recommendations on which drinks match dishes, and then beam your order.

4. Medical Records

The clipboard at the end of the hospital bed could be a thing of the past. Tablet computers have been used in hospitals for many years but they are very expensive. The cheapo iPad could allow doctors to view historical and live data on patients, view X-rays, browse MRI scans, and so on.

5. Musical Instrument

Touch pads have been a part of electronic music ever since the invention of the drum machine. More recently, innovative musicians have been replacing guitar strings with touch screens to create the ultimate MIDI controller. But the iPad offers a blank canvas to creative musicians. The only limit is the imagination.