Technology & Digital Life

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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Microsoft grabbed the spotlight this week with two big new product launches. First, a new tablet computer - Microsoft's first. And yesterday, it unveiled a radically new version of its Windows operating system.

To talk about the significance of Windows 8 and how it might affect you, we're joined by Rich Jaroslovsky, he's technology commentator at Bloomberg News and a regular guest on our program.

Good morning.

RICH JAROSLOVSKY: Good morning.

"World's Most Powerful Laser Beams To Zap Nuclear Waste."

That Bloomberg Businessweek headline got our attention. We were imagining the explosion that might result.

But as it turns out, the zapping "could destroy nuclear waste and provide new cancer treatments," according to the story.

Social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter, have been important parts of this year's presidential campaigns. As Americans prepare to head to the polls, experts discuss social media's influence on politics, and whether Twitter can predict who will win the election.

If you shopped recently at 63 Barnes & Noble stores in nine states and used a credit or debit card there's a chance that thieves got hold of data about your accounts and your PIN.

As the company has announced:

With the holiday season approaching, shoppers can expect a few new hot gadgets on store shelves. Tuesday, Apple debuted its much anticipated iPad mini, and Microsoft is expected to debut a new tablet and an upgrade to Windows later this week. Host Michel Martin speaks with technology commentator Mario Armstrong.

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

OK. Let's talk a little more about a small screen. Of course, Apple has dominated the tablet computer market with its iPad. The company says it's sold 100 million of them, but it's had some competition from smaller rivals - smaller screens, that is. Amazon's Kindle and Google's Nexus can easily fit in a purse, or even a jacket pocket. So, as expected, yesterday, Apple introduced a smaller version of the iPad - bigger than an iPhone, smaller than the iPad, the iPad Mini. NPR's Laura Sydell reports.