This week on The Digital Hazard, we talk a fair amount about smartphones and their future in society. Everything from how we hope there will no longer be a reason to steal them, to how Microsoft hopes to convert iPhone users with a good sync experience on their Macs. I talk lightly about my fear of policy makers regarding internet regulations, as motivated by Russia’s new Deep Packet Inspection laws.

Download This Week’s Episode
Hurricane Sandy and the Internet
http://gigaom.com/cloud/superstorm-sandy-wreaks-havoc-on-internet-infrastructure/

Cell Carriers Enable Stolen Phone Database
http://www.zdnet.com/all-four-major-us-wireless-carriers-enable-stolen-cellphone-database-7000006760/

iPad Mini Launch Draws Small Crowds
http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/02/apples-ipad-mini-launch-draws-smaller-crowds-than-previous-product-debuts/

iFixit teardown of iPad Mini
http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/1/3584888/ipad-mini-teardown-ifixit

Apple Loses Right to iFone Name in Mexico
http://www.electronista.com/articles/12/11/01/mexican.ifone.registered.trade.name.four.years.before.apple/

Microsoft ‘Testing’ Phone Hardware
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-57544163-94/microsoft-testing-its-own-smartphone-with-suppliers-wsj/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=title

Windows Phone sync for OS X
http://www.wpcentral.com/microsoft-releases-30-windows-phone-sync-app-osx

Russia’s New Internet Filtering Laws
http://www.theverge.com/2012/11/2/3589354/russia-internet-filtering-law-surveillance

RMS: Limit Power of Copyrights in Software
http://www.wired.com/opinion/2012/11/richard-stallman-software-patents

Facebook Frackups:
Facebook’s Free Wi-Fi for Checkins Program
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57544135-93/facebook-tests-free-wi-fi-hot-spots-in-exchange-for-check-ins/

Science News:
Curiosity’s First Chemistry Test
http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/11/sands-of-mars-taste-a-lot-like-volcano/