Without having to use your computer, the printer was designed to print out reformatted Web content - maps, coupons, etc. - right from the Wi-Fi enabled printer using the 4-inch touchscreen (which we have seen to work like a charm). And now the company is releasing its App Studio and a SDK letting any web content developer create applications for the printer.

Getting the apps on your printer seems simple enough: you hit the Get More button on the user interface and select from different categories of applications which will then be downloaded over Wi-Fi. You can also browse the apps on the App Studio website. HP will start to roll out more and more applications over the next couple of months (especially as developers start working with the SDK), but some of the first applications will include ones by Disney (for printing out coloring pages for kids), CBS News (for printing text versions of 60 Minutes), Flickr (for printing photos directly from the printer), and Tabbloid (for creating and printing customized RSS feeds).

HP also annouced partnerships with USA TODAY, Google (maps and calendar applications), Coupons.com, Fandango, DreamWorks Animation, Nickelodeon, Web Sudoku, Weathernews, Snapfish.com and HP Creative Studio.

All the applications are free, but the PhotoSmart Premium with TouchSmart Web (an app to shorten that product name would be nice) itself costs $399. And hey, maybe HP won't make its app store approval process so hellish. [HP App Studio]

The TouchSmart Web UI has a widescreen panel about 4" in size which has a series of thumbnails that you flick through to access web content. In addition, the printer will come with an open API, letting any web content developer create widgets for the printer.

Showing off content demos from partners such as Google, Snapfish, Fandango and USA Today, HP is convinced this will "revolutionize" and "change the way people think about printing." While that remains to be seen, we do know the printer itself is wi-fi enabled, can copy/scan/fax and will cost $399.