The notebooks played a key role in the expedition, not only keeping Byron and the other climbers in touch with their loved ones via email, but also providing a storage facility for digital photos and giving the team access to essential five-day weather reports, which allowed them to plan their final ascent.

In addition, Byron's Satellite Pro helped him with what he says was the most difficult aspect of the climb: being away from his wife and son. Every time he turned on his Toshiba PC, a digital photo of his family greeted him, helping him to feel connected with his life back in Canada. And how did the Satellite Pro perform under some of the world's toughest conditions, according to the man who led what has been described the most methodical, well-planned and well-executed Everest expedition of the year?

It was fantastic," says Byron. "It was carried up the mountain by yaks and porters. It was dusty and it was dirty. And I never had a problem - not even the slightest hiccup. At well over 21000 feet and far below -30 degrees, it worked brilliantly. We even watched a DVD movie on it one night." (At -30 degrees, is it any wonder that the movie they chose to watch was "Heat"?)

When asked why he had wanted to partner with Toshiba as his supplier of notebook computers for his expedition, Byron said, "I use Toshiba in my business and at home so I know the quality. Toshiba's reputation, my experiences - plus the long battery life - all played a part. I wanted the best gear possible. I needed to know that I could rely on every piece of equipment I took. Toshiba gave me all that."

Byron had attempted the climb in 1998 as a member of another expedition, but a miscalculation of the rope kept the team from reaching the top. For his 2000 attempt, he made sure that he was in charge - and that his expedition had more than enough rope, oxygen, food and medical supplies in a carefully planned balance of redundancy and efficiency.

So, what does it take to climb the world's highest mountain? Byron, a veteran climber not only of Everest, but also hundreds of mountains in the Canadian Rockies, USA, and Mount Aconcagua in Argentina which is the western hemisphere's highest peak shares his views on goal-setting, dream-chasing and achievement. Click here to read transcript of Byron's interview.