About The HP Brand

The Hewlett-Packard Company is a multinational IT company headquartered in Palo Alto, California, that developed and produces a wide variety of technology products, but is probably best known for their Inkjet and Laserjet printers.

The company was famously founded in a garage in Palo Alto in 1938 by Bill Hewlett and David Packard. The garage is now a museum and historic landmark and considered the birthplace of silicon valley. In their first decades of business they worked on a variety of projects but were first profitable making audio oscillators, some of which were bought by Walt Disney Studios and were used in the making of "Fantasia". During World War 2, HP worked on anti-radar technology, artillery shell fuzes, audio oscillators, wave analyzers, distortion analyzers, vacuum tube voltmeters and various other projects.

In the 1960s Hewlett Packard started developing semiconductor devices like instruments and calculators, and partnered with Sony to develop products in Japan. HP entered the computer market in 1966 with the HP 2100 / HP 1000 series of minicomputers which were produced for 20 years, and were the forerunners of the HP 9800 and HP 250 series of desktop and business computers. HP is identified by Wired magazine as the producer of the world's first device to be called a personal computer: the Hewlett-Packard 9100A, introduced in 1968.

In the 70's HP continued innovating in the space of calculators and personal computers. In 1972 they introduced the world's first handheld scientific electronic calculator, the first handheld programmable in 1974, the first alphanumeric, programmable, expandable calculator in 1979, and the first symbolic and graphing calculator, the HP-28C. Like their scientific and business calculators, their oscilloscopes, logic analyzers, and other measurement devices are known to be durable and user-friendly, as evidenced by their design philosophy "design for the guy at the next bench".

In 1984, HP introduced both inkjet and laser printers for the desktop, the products they are best known for today. In addition to its scanner product line, these have later been developed into successful multifunction printers, scanners, copiers, and fax machines. The print mechanisms are almost entirely supplied by Canon Inc. components (print engines), which use technology developed by Xerox. HP develops the hardware, firmware, and software to convert data into dots for printing. The HP.com domain name was registered on March 3, 1986, making it the ninth domain ever registered on the World Wide Web, further cementing the company as a leader in silicon valley.

Since the 80's Hewlett Packard has continued to be front runners in the tech space, with their lines of home computers, laptops and workstations. However their focus continues to be on their amazing lines of home and business printers and scanners.

HP offers the best printers for your home or office, from wireless to portable, label and all-in-one printers. Here are some of the most popular lines of printers from HP:

• Why is printer ink so expensive?

  It may seem ink is expensive compared to the cost of the printer, but many people do not realize that the manufacturer either makes no profit from the printer itself or loses money. The official ink the printers use is made to be of the highest quality, which results in better print quality on each page, as well as a longer lasting printer as the ink won't gunk up the inner workings and mechanisms.

• Which is the best HP Envy printer?

  Our best sellers and top reviewed HP Envy Photo Printers are the HP Envy Photo 7855 and the HP Envy Photo 7155.

• Are HP printers worth repairing?

  It depends how often you print and how much you print. It is nice to have the ability to print thousands of pages of ink no matter whether you print 5 pages a month or 500 pages a month, but if you don't print frequently, the EcoTank may cost you more than it's worth. Just like any inkjet printer, EcoTank inks can dry out over time if they aren't used.

• How long do HP printers usually last?

  It all depends on how often you use it. Using a personal printer in a high volume office environment it might wear it out sooner than the same printer used at home by a family. With proper maintenance and care your printer can last over a decade. However, keep in mind that typically, HP stops supporting most products after 10 years.

• Does my HP printer need drivers?

  We recommend downloading drivers directly from the HP website, to make sure you are getting the most updated version and to avoid downloading anything malicious onto your computer. You'll be able to search for the drivers by entering your printer model.

• What is the difference between HP OfficeJet and HP DeskJet?

  The HP Officejet printer range is designed for the home office and small business market; Deskjet printers are aimed at the home user with basic printing needs.

• What are the two main types of printers?

  Inkjet printers and laser printers are two of the most common printer types on the market. Inkjet printers tend to be more prevalent in the home, while laser printers tend to be more common in offices, but both can be utilized in the same environment.

• Which is better: HP Envy or HP OfficeJet?

  The HP OfficeJet Pro 9020 is much more reliable than the HP ENVY 5055, and it offers a faster printing speed and increased connectivity options. However, the ENVY is the better choice for printing photos because it produces higher-quality photos faster.

• What kind of ink does my HP printer use?

  It all depends on which printer you own, they all use different ink cartridges and not many are interchangeable. Use our HP ink and toner finder to find the exact right ink for your printer.

• Where can I buy ink for my HP printer?

  HP ink is sold in most reputable office supply stores, but here at BlueDogInk we have the best prices and lightning fast shipping, so have a look through our comprehensive HP Ink selection here.

• Is HP instant ink worth it?

  HP Instant Ink is the right for some people and the wrong choice for others. To learn more about the HP Instant Ink Program, read our write up here.