Knowledge no longer power, HP head says

The transformation of human civilization by technology is on its way in the 21st century, an age of ideas that is far different from previous centuries in history, Carly Fiorina, Hewlett-Packard Co's (HP) chairwoman and chief executive officer, said in Taipei yesterday.

"The dot-com boom and the dot-com bust is not the end of technology but the end of the beginning," Fiorina said in her keynote speech in a forum co-organized by HP, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Chinese-language Commonwealth magazine.

"We're now in an era where technology truly will transform every aspect of business, every aspect of life, and every aspect of society. We're now entering the main event," she said.

Fiorina said that every physical process and all analog media content would become digital, mobile, virtual and personal over time.

Over 90 percent of cameras in use are now digital models, up from 20 percent five years ago. Everything is going mobile, she said, from photography to music, television and digital content.

Virtual technology is part of global revolution enabling people to do almost every work-related task from anywhere in the world, the 50-year-old chairwoman said.

As technology breaks down traditional means of access to information, it empowers individuals to gain more access to increased capability and information capacity, Fiorina said.

This indicates that "knowledge is no longer power," she said.

Apart from concerns over prices, feature functions, safety and mobility, information technology companies and consumers are increasingly aware that technology causes changes and encourages adaptability, she said.

Consequently, adaptability will become the single most important means of distinguishing winners from losers in the 21st century, whether it is a company, society or individual, she said.

This was Fiorina's second visit to Taiwan, following her visit in 2000 ahead of the merger between HP and Compaq in 2002.

Fiorina also attended meetings with HP's customers and key suppliers in Taiwan during her short visit, the company said.

HP's suppliers include the world's top two portal computer makers, Quanta Computer Inc (廣達電腦) and Compal Electronics Co (仁寶), which helped entrench HP's position as second-largest laptop vendor worldwide.

Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) manufactures desktops under the HP brand, and High Tech Computer Corp (宏達電子) makes HP's popular Windows-based pocket PC products.