In today’s world it seems like more and more people are moving away from desktop computers and trading them in for laptops and the increasingly popular tablet devices. The benefits to tablets are endless but one common answer is mobility. Having a tablet means you can work from anywhere: the metro, home, in-flight, on vacation—you get the idea. But with people increasing the amount of time they work away from their desk, it’s important to make sure that the devices we are using are equipped with the right tools—in other words, Apps!

So what are the best apps for businesses? I’m recommending five categories of apps that everyone should have on their tablet. Take a look:

Social Media Apps: You can’t forget to keep up with your company’s social presence. Use these apps to keep your company’s name buzzing:

-Twitter: Find and follow friends, Tweet, Retweet, Favorite, exchange Direct messages with your followers, share photos, etc.

-LinkedIn: Get on-the-go access to your professional network with this app.

-WordPress: Write posts, upload photos, edit pages, and manage comments on your blog from your mobile device.

Word Processor Apps:  A computer application used for the production of any sort of printable material. Examples include:

-QuickOffice Pro: Create, edit, access, and share your Microsoft® Office documents, spreadsheets, and presentations-anytime, anywhere

-iWorks: Create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations the Mac way. And it’s compatible with Microsoft Office®

CRM Apps: Manage your business and keep your customer database at your fingertips with these CRM apps:

-Salesforce.com: Get instance access to your Salesforce information on your device so you can sell on the go. Log calls, respond to leads, and access account information wherever you are.

-Contacts Journal: Keep track of your past conversations and future follow-ups to make managing your contacts a breeze.

-SugarCRM: Designed to help your business communicate with prospects, share sales information, close deals, and keep customers happy.

Business Communication Apps: It’s important to be able to stay in communication with your colleagues even outside of the office. Here’s a few great apps that will help facilitate that:

-Chatter: Get auto updates on the people, projects, and files that you care about most. Brought to you by Salesforce.com.

-Podio: An online work platform for collaboration and project management in one central place (recently acquired by Citrix).

Business Collaboration Apps: Use these apps to make sure your workflow doesn’t suffer away from the office:

-ShareFile: Get easy and secure access to all of your files and folders, anytime. We definitely recommend this app!

-GoToMeeting: Easy and effective web conferencing and online meetings. Work with anyone, anywhere!

-GoToMyPC: Remote access for your computer. Login and access your work computer from your mobile device.

Do you have any of these apps on your tablet? What other business apps are you using?