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The 80s
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| HP-150 Touchscreen and HP LaserJet | ||
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. HP also links computers with its electronic instruments and medical and analytical products, making them faster and more powerful.
HP makes its entry into the printer market with the launch of inkjet printers and laser printers that connect to personal computers. HP's high-quality, inexpensive inkjet printers spell the end of dot-matrix printers. The HP LaserJet printer line, which debuts in 1984, goes on to become the company's most successful single product line ever. The quality and reliability of HP's printers make HP a highly recognizable brand by both consumers and businesses.
Near the end of the decade, HP is recognized for its rich past as well as for its technological advances and products. The garage where the company started is declared a California historical landmark, and HP celebrates its 50th anniversary.
1980
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| HP-85 | ||
HP introduces its first personal computer, the HP-85. A steady stream of PCs follow.
HP introduces the first laser printer that is fast and inexpensive enough for use outside a central computer room.
HP revenue: $3 billion. HP employees: 57,196.
1981
HP's products become formally available in China when the China Hewlett-Packard Representative Office opens in Beijing.
HP Labs engineers, attempting to design a portable plotter for HP’s pocket calculator, develop a novel, inexpensive way to move the paper and pen. The new “grit wheel” technology launches a line of large drafting-quality plotters. This becomes the foundational work for HP’s future printer business.
HP revenue: $3.6 billion. HP employees: 66,807.
1982
The electronic mail system developed by HP Limited in the United Kingdom is the first major wide-area commercial network of its kind based on minicomputers.
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| HP 9000 | ||
HP makes advances in business computing when it introduces the HP 9000 technical computer with 32-bit "superchip" technology. The first "desktop mainframe" is as powerful as room-size computers of the 1960s.
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| HP-75C | ||
HP's first handheld computer, the HP-75C, is introduced. With 16K RAM and 48K ROM, it runs BASIC and VisiCalc and can also be used as a clock and appointment alarm. Weighing only 26 ounces, the HP-75 provides 50 functions and is an early tool for mobile computing, connecting with such peripherals as a modem, digital cassette drive and printer/plotter.
Yokogawa Hewlett-Packard wins the prestigious Deming prize for quality.
HP revenue: $4.3 billion. HP employees: 69,538.
1983
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| HP-150 Touchscreen | ||
HP allows users to activate features on their PCs simply by touching the screen when it introduces its first touchscreen personal computer, the HP-150.
Bill Hewlett is awarded the National Medal of Science, the nation's highest scientific honor,"For his pioneering accomplishments in the creation and manufacturing of electronics and semi-conductor devices and electronic test instruments." It is presented to him by President Reagan at a White House ceremony on February 27, 1985.
HP revenue: $4.7 billion. HP employees: 72,000.
1984
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| ThinkJet | ||
Thermal inkjet technology developed at HP is introduced in a high-quality, low-price personal printer, the HP ThinkJet. The ThinkJet brings quiet, portable 96-dpi (dots per inch) printing to desktop and portable PCs. With its far superior printing quality and inexpensive price, the ThinkJet spells the end to noisy dot-matrix printers.
Inkjet technology research began at HP Labs in 1978. Although large, industrial inkjet-marking devices already existed, they weren't suitable for document printing needs. By miniaturizing the technology and offering it in the form of a personal printer, HP is able to offer better print quality than serial dot-matrix printing, quieter operation, extremely low power consumption and, eventually, high-quality, low-cost color. Today's HP inkjet printers continue to provide technological breakthroughs at ever decreasing prices.
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| LaserJet | ||
HP also introduces the HP LaserJet printer—the company's most successful single product to date. Able to print at 300 dpi, the LaserJet quickly becomes the world's most popular personal desktop laser printer.
HP Labs Bristol opens. The Bristol, England facility is the first HP research operation outside of Palo Alto.
HP revenue: $6 billion. HP employees: 82,000.
1985
China Hewlett-Packard (CHP), the first high-tech joint venture in China, is established.
The world’s first microprocessor-based network analyzer is produced at HP. It allows users to make rapid, convenient magnitude or phase-response measurements in near real time across previously unheard-of frequency ranges.
HP revenue: $6.5 billion. HP employees: 84,000.
1986
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| Barney Oliver, HP Labs Founding Director | ||
Barney Oliver, HP Labs Founding Director, is awarded the National Medal of Science "For translating the most profound discoveries of physical and communication science into the electronic, radio and computer systems which have improved our culture and enriched the lives of all Americans." It is presented to him by President Reagan at a White House ceremony on March 12, 1986.
HP is the first major computer company to introduce a precision architecture based on reduced instruction set computing (RISC). The HP Precision Architecture family of computer systems marks the first commercial application of RISC architecture. The use of RISC microprocessors makes powerful computers faster and less expensive. The development effort takes five years and is HP's most expensive R&D effort to this point.
HP revenue: $7.2 billion. HP employees: 82,000.
1987
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| Bill and Dave at the garage | ||
Bill Hewlett retires as vice chairman of the HP board of directors and is named director emeritus.
HP Labs engineers develop thin film media to create a 3.5-inch magnetic disc that provided 10 MB of storage and launches HP into the mass storage mechanism OEM (original equipment manufacturer) business.
The birthplace of the company, the original garage rented by Dave Packard at 367 Addison Ave., is granted California state landmark status as California Registered Landmark No. 976.
HP begins its hardware recycling program internally.
HP revenue: $8.1 billion. HP employees: 82,000.
1988
HP's DeskJet printer, the company's first mass-market inkjet printer, makes its debut. The DeskJet offers plain-paper printing and industry-standard print resolution.
HP moves into top 50 on Fortune 500 listing: No. 49.
HP is listed on Tokyo stock exchange; it is the company's first listing outside the United States.
The HP digital multimeter makes high-frequency, high-accuracy and high-resolution voltage measurements with one instrument.
An analyzer capable of measuring terahertz transmission bandwidths is developed by HP engineers for use in optical telecommunications.
HP revenue: $9.8 billion. HP employees: 87,000.
1989
HP celebrates its 50th anniversary.
An HP atomic emission detector is the first analytical instrument capable of detecting all of the elements (except helium) in gas chromatography.
HP acquires Apollo Computer, a Massachusetts-based workstation manufacturer.
The introduction of HP’s TMSL (Test and Measurement Systems Language) eliminates the need to write software to facilitate communication between different instruments in a test system. TMSL initiates a new industry communication standard.
HP introduces its first Digital Data Storage (DDS) drives. Based on pioneering technology developed in HP Labs for using helical scan tape recording for data storage, DDS becomes the best-selling tape backup format in the world.
HP revenue: $11.9 billion. HP employees: 95,000.
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