Hp Computers the history

By : Denny Wijaya

HP Computers

Hello all, I write about hp computers’ history not because I’m one of their worker, my reason is just that the first laptop I bought by my own earnings is Compaq (take over by hp at that time)

Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard founded HP in January 1^st 1939, they were Stanford University classmates. Their first product is an audio oscillator that used by sound engineers as an instrument test. Hp’s early customer is Walt Disney Studios, purchased the products to develop and test their audio system for the movie Fantasia.

As the company grows, in 1940 they moves to a bigger building and left the garage behind Dave’s house. Hp also practice what we called “management by objective” today – communicating overall objectives clearly and giving employees the flexibility to work toward those goals in ways that they determine are best for their own areas of responsibility. HP also make an open door policy, to create an atmosphere of trust and mutual understanding, By using this policy they want to make employees discuss problems with their manager in better environment, by the end of 40’s their revenue is $2.2 million with 166 employees.

The company goes public in 1957 for $16 per share. In keeping with Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard’s respect for workers, HP takes the then-unusual step of giving stock grants to all employees at all levels with six months of service. The company’s objectives cover seven points: profit, customers, fields of interest, growth, our people, management and citizenship. These management philosophies, radically different from the top-down management style of many companies, serve as the basis of HP’s management style, which comes to be known as the “HP Way.” And by the ends of 50’s they expand their wings to Europe.

HP begins to be noticed as a progressive, well-managed company — and a great place to work.  And in 1963 they penetrate Asian’s market by forming an alliance with Japan Company, Yokogawa Electric Works. Later in 1966 HP’s first computer, the HP 2116A, is introduced.

HP continues its tradition of innovation with the introduction of a new array of computing products. Foremost among them is the HP-35, the first scientific handheld calculator, which ushers in a new era of portable, powerful computing. HP expands into business computing with its first general-purpose computer, the HP 3000, which introduces the era of distributed data processing.

Around 80’s HP becomes a major player in the computer industry in the 1980s with a full range of computers, from desktop machines to portables to powerful minicomputers In 1992 they introduce amber and red-orange LEDs, that expands the range of possible LED applications to cars, traffic control signals, and moving-message panels. The first pocket-size Jornada, the 420, is introduced in 1999. This is the first Windows CE pocket-size PC with a color screen.

HP completes its merger transaction with Compaq Computer Corp on May 2002 with this new alliance, HP grows to become the world’s largest technology company. And by the end of 2008 they listed to No.9 in Fortune 500 with $ 118.4 billion revenue and 321.000 employees.

Checkout Hp laptops?