Hewlett-Packard’s operations are organized into seven segments: Services, Enterprise Storage and Servers (ESS), HP Software, the Personal Systems Group (PSG), the Imaging and Printing Group (IPG), HP Financial Services (HPFS), and Corporate Investments. Services, ESS and HP Software are reported collectively as a broader HP Enterprise Business. In April 2010, the Company completed its acquisition of 3Com Corporation. In July 2010, the Company completed the acquisition of Palm, Inc. (Palm). In September 2010, the Company acquired Fortify Software. In September 2010, the Company acquired 3PAR Inc., a global provider of utility storage. In October 2010, the Company acquired ArcSight, Inc., a security and compliance management company. (Reuter.com, 2011)
Two classmates, Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, from Stanford University founded HP in 1939. The company 's first product, built in a Palo Alto garage, was an audio oscillator, an electronic test instrument used by sound engineers. One of HP 's first customers was Walt Disney Studios, which purchased eight oscillators to develop and test an innovative sound system for the movie Fantasia. (HP.com, 2011)
While HP began as a company that produced all sorts of electronic products, their first focus was on test products like counters and voltmeters. Later on in the sixties, HP ended up becoming the founder of Silicon Valley. They got into semiconductors in the early sixties and by 1966, they entered the computer market with the HP 2100 and the HP1000. These were sturdy models that lasted for a good twenty years before more advancement saw screen keys and the HP 2640 rise to the occasion. (HP.com, 2011)
1984 saw the emergence of their first inkjet and laser printers. These were meant for the desktop. Later on in the 90s, HP rose in popularity, marketing their computers to the average consumer and opening an online store to help reach them. HP printers were everywhere.