Apple’s latest two mobile innovations, the iPhone 4S and the new iPad, will literally be on top of the world this spring as they become part of the high-tech gear used to climb the world’s summit – Mount Everest.
Figuratively, the iPhone 4S and the new iPad have been on top of the world since their respective launches.
Hilaree O’Neill, a ski-mountaineer from Colorado is taking part in National Geographic’s 2012 Everest expedition that will “trek the same valleys and work up to Base Camp just as Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay did 59 years ago” on the first ever successful ascent of Mount Everest.
O’Neill will ditch paper notebooks and a pencil in favour of the new iPad as a journaling device. It also stores music, movies and books, although, we’re not sure there’ll be time for all of these. The best thing about the iPad on Mount Everest is its solid-state hard-drive (SSD) that isn’t affected by high altitudes like traditional spinning drives founds in most desktops.
O’Neill will also replace a five pound walkie-talkie used in the 1953 expedition with an iPhone 4S. Its battery isn’t affected by cold temperatures as much, and thanks to a newly installed 3G station at Everest’s base camp, she can stay in touch with anyone around the world.