Twitter for Business?

I've been reading posts on various business blogs exhorting readers to get smart about utilizing micro-blogs like twitter for business. Great thought ... but what the hell are these people talking about? How does one communicate anything meaningful about one's business in 140 characters? Am I supposed to cyberstalk potential customers? This article lays out the case for Twitter as a business tool. One paragraph in this article is entitled "Twitter Replaces Email". Don't be absurd! Let's put down the double espresso and be rational about this.

What makes Twitter cool to a certain segment of our society? 24/7 communication. Twits can even be made on a cellphone. Are there business applications for this mode of mobile and quick communication technology? Yeah but I think they are rather limited based upon the availability of other options. Rather than Twitter as a technology tool of business, I see it potentially as a marketing / customer relations tool of business. One interesting facet of Twitter is the ability to see in near real time the flow of twits across the Twitter universe using a keyword search--twitter search (note: if your search term is more than one word, put it in quotation-marks). Type something in there like 'iPhone' or 'Heath Ledger' and you'll get the picture. A nice market research tool or, even better, an instant business feedback tool. According to this article, major companies such as Comcast and Dell Computer have employees assigned to monitor Twitter activity regarding their company! Charter Communications, you need to get on that train as well. I'm sure other uses for micro-blogs will come along with new technology but, at present, the pickings appear slim. Anybody with a different take on the business applications for micro-blogs, feel free to drop a comment (please give specific examples if at all possible).