Despite pulling the TouchPad from production, Hewlett Packard is offering owners free apps for the tablet.

The TouchPad has become something of a retail sensation after it started selling for as low as $99. The slash in prices came after HP decided to ax webOS devices from its line. The move ironically made the TouchPad more popular as consumers lined up outside stores to get the discounted device.

Now HP is adding free apps to generate more interest.

"If you have an HP TouchPad ... We've selected six apps that normally sell for as much as $14.99 and we're making them available at no cost to HP webOS customers for a limited time," HP announced on its Palm Web site Friday. The promo codes will expire next Wednesday.

Here are some of the apps being offered:

  • Multitasking: Glimpse (Inglorious Apps): boosts multitasking with split-screen interface.
  • Camera for TouchPad: (Keen Studios): options for managing photos and using them with other TouchPad apps.
  • Bird Guide: (Green Mountain Digital): searchable digital field guide to North American birds offers photographs and bird songs.
  • Game: Big Boss (Fair Play Labs): featuring heroes and wizards of WackyLands.

TouchPad owners in Australia can now purchase paid applications from the HP webOS store. As of this date HP isn't accepting Visa cards even though it's appearing as an option in the store. Paid apps cost between 99c to $4.99.

In other related news, HP is now releasing the 64 GB, 1.5 GHz Touchpad that was never shipped before. The white high-end model is an extremely rare SKU of the device that collectors will want to have.