HP 2009 Annual Report Download - page 4

The power of information
This transition towards a converged infrastructure
is exciting for our future. However, the greater
opportunity lies in our ability to project the
intelligence of this computing capability from the
data center out into the world to help meet the
demands of a rapidly evolving global community.
By2025,worldwidepopulationisexpectedto
increase by 20 percent. The population in the
world’s cities will grow by more than 1 billion
people—the equivalent of adding a Beijing every
other month. The “global middle class” is expected
togrowfrom440millionto1.3billionpeople
over the next few decades, as wireless and Internet
connectivity continue to level the playing field. In
the background of all of this, we are witnessing
an explosion in information. The total amount of
information is estimated to double every four years,
and digital content doubles every 18 months.
Throughout history, every few centuries, we
harness a new source of power. First it was fire,
later electricity and oil. Today, it is information.
At HP, we’ve helped lead a revolution in the way
information is created, captured, stored, processed,
andshared.Open,industry-standardcomputing
has helped free data from complex, proprietary
mainframes, and it has democratized information
technology in a way that is more affordable,
powerful, and flexible. Software transforms the vast
sea of digital content into usable information that is
delivered as a service and transmitted to interactive,
always-connecteddevicesinrealtime.Gettingthe
right information to the right place at the right time
isapowerfulwaytodrivebetterdecision-making,
better resource utilization, and extreme efficiencies.
HP is working with customers in areas such as
education, healthcare, and energy to meet the
changing needs of the global community today. And
in HP Labs, we’re working on the future. Innovations
likenano-scalesensors,breakthroughsoftware
for analytics and knowledge discovery, and data
centers with zero net environmental impact will
be the building blocks of tomorrow’s sustainable
society. We are using our technology to find a better
answer for how we meet the needs of a world with
growing demands and limited resources.
Building a better world
We are also helping build a better world through
social investment and environmental innovation.
HP’sOfceofGlobalSocialInnovationisworking
to transform teaching and learning to foster the next
generation of entrepreneurs and innovators. We’re
integrating technology into the learning experience
and providing professional development. From
technology grants in East Palo Alto to building a
universitye-infrastructureinsub-SaharanAfrica,
we’re helping level the playing field for participation
in the global economy. Around the world, our efforts
are supported by tens of thousands of employees
who volunteer in their local communities and donate,
in conjunction with matching grants, to the causes
they care about most.