The iPod: Saving Lives Since 2008

iPods -- and all MP3 players -- are fantastic for a number of reasons. The primary being that they contain hours of music and can save travelers from a near death-like experience of having to actually converse with the person in next airplane seat.

Additionally, they're fantastic for skiers and snowboarders who like to jam out while cruising down the slopes. And a lost skier and snowboarder in Switzerland found a different use for their MP3 player this weekend: saving lives.

The two — a skier and snowboarder, both from France — had got lost late in the day Friday outside marked runs near the resort of Savognin in southeast Switzerland, said Gery Baumann, spokesman for mountain rescue service Rega.

“The two winter sports enthusiasts were found by the crew of the Rega helicopter shortly after midnight — thanks to the faint light of their MP3 player,” he said.

Yup, thanks to their MP3 player, the pair only suffered "mild hypothermia", which, while quite lame in and of itself, is vastly superior to the alternate: "death". The lesson as always? Go out, buy yourself an iPod (or whatever) and carry it with you at all times. Also: bring a battery pack.