everest

HTC One makes video call from summit of Everest

This might not be what the Taiwanese company had in mind when it wanted its HTC One to be on top of the world, but thanks to British mountaineer Daniel Hughes, the high-end Android phone is the first to make a video call from the highest point on Earth.

Hughes, who's trying to raise $1.5 million for Comic Relief -- it's also the highest ever Red Nose -- spoke to BBC News yesterday from the summit of Everest. … Read more

JBL's ultimate speaker: Everest DD66000

I cover a lot of great-sounding gear on this blog, ranging from the $22 Lepai LP 2020A stereo integrated amplifier, $129 Pioneer SP-BS22-LR speakers, and the $650 Tekton M-Lore towers. This time I'm going all the way with a true state-of-the-art contender: the JBL Everest DD66000. It's the speaker equivalent of a fire-breathing Ferrari. I got the chance to spend quality time with a pair of these outrageously awesome speakers at EarsNova in New York last week for about an hour. Viva Audio tube amplifiers were driving the speakers, and the digital converter was by dCS Digital.

I … Read more

Mount Everest climbers share journey on Instagram

Climbers on Mount Everest have been documenting the harrowing journey to the peak using their iPhones and Instagram.

Over the last month, the climbers on National Geographic's commemorative climb to the top of the of the world's tallest peak have captured moments filled with steep terrain and friendly locals, according to the Instagram blog .

The expedition is expected to make it to the peak on Friday and the magazine is hoping the team can share the victory in real time on Instagram under the @natgeo account. The magazine posted a Q&A with the climbers to talk … Read more

OCZ Vertex 4 review: Good deal

The 2.5-inch standard Vertex 4 solid-state drive (SSD) is a clear signal that OCZ wants to move to use its own Indilix Everest controllers rather than those from SandForce, which was used in the Vertex 3.

And that would be a good decision. The new Vertex 4 now uses the second generation (Everest 2) of the controller and offered great performance in my testing.

It's the first SSD I've seen that took just a second to be formatted and was immediately recognized by the system when used as a secondary drive.… Read more

OCZ Octane review: On in 12 seconds

OCZ's latest solid-state drive, the Octane, is a new breed among its peers.

The drive is the first to be powered by OCZ's new Indilinx Everest controller, designed to optimize boot time and application performance. And the Octane offered just that in my testing, helping the test machine take just 12 seconds to boot up.… Read more

World's highest Webcam could use a Sherpa

No, the world's highest Webcam doesn't belong to the pot-loving @Qwikster Twitter user who's giving Netflix fits. It can be found gazing out onto the far reaches of Mount Everest.

The Webcam sits on Kala Patthar, a mountain in the Himalayas, at an altitude of more than 18,000 feet. This vantage point gives it a clear and spectacular view of Everest's western face--when conditions are right.

A recent view of the Webcam showed a gray mass with a vague outline of Everest visible.

With no electrical outlets handy way up there, the Webcam is solar-powered. It's only active during daylight hours.

Mobotix is the company that provided the type-M12 Webcam. It is designed to deal with some pretty tough weather conditions like blasting winds and below-freezing temperatures. My puny Logitech QuickCam has a pretty easy life of luxury in comparison.… Read more

3G sets up base camp at Mount Everest

The Khumbu valley, which leads up to Mount Everest, now has 3G coverage, according to Nordic telecommunications company TeliaSonera.

Ncell, a TeliaSonera subsidiary, launched 3G services covering the Khumbu region yesterday.

3G coverage on top of Mount Everest is a technical possibility, but the main aim is to provide coverage of the tourist walking route up to Everest, a TeliaSonera spokesman told ZDNet UK today.

Read more of "Everest region gets 3G coverage" at ZDNet UK.

Verizon could get Entourage Edge

On Monday, I relayed some hot gossip about Verizon's Android device roadmap for the rest of the year. The Boy Genius had originally uncovered the information, and I added new details that I received independently from someone in the know. I apologize, however, for making a mistake when reading my notes on the carrier's upcoming Android-powered tablets. Please find the correct dish below.

The Samsung P1 tablet, which is due in September, will not have the dual tablet/e-book reader design that I mentioned in my first blog. Instead, Verizon should offer the Entourage Edge dual book sometime … Read more

Checking e-mail at 17,000 feet on Mt. Everest

China Mobile has opened a wireless service center and Internet cafe at an altitude of 17,000 feet at the Everest base camp, making it the world's highest such site, according to People's Daily Online.

According to reports, the Internet cafe is aiming to effectively protect the Olympic torch relay teams' communications needs at Mount Qomolangma in Tibet. China Mobile has built a business office and Internet cafe at an altitude of 5,200 meters at Mount Qomolangma base camp to provide mobile services and Internet services to government officials, mountain climbing members and journalists.

Maybe they'll … Read more