At Mashable, we're constantly writing about the newest and coolest knickknacks from the tech world, many of which would make great gifts for your geeky family and friends. In addition to our regular load of tech tips, each day throughout the holiday season we'll post a new suggestion in our Gift of the Day series.
In case you had a busy few days and haven't had time to follow along, we've rounded up our most useful articles from the past week. Aside from some killer gift ideas, you'll also find hands-on social media advice concerning recent updates to Facebook's mobile app, Instagram and Pinterest, not to mention digital business and marketing advice.
Let Mashable help you make the most of your time on the Internet.
Editor's Picks
Win an Xbox 360 and Halo 4 by Making a Newscast From the Future
In honor of this space-age epic story, we're asking you to create a crazy, creative video of what you think a newscast from the future will look like.
Hands-On With Instagram's New Profile Pages
We go hands-on with Instagram's new profile pages.
8 Apps Every Writer and Blogger Should Know
We’ve selected eight apps that will help you find the writing groove.
Live Abroad for Free, With a Little Elbow Grease
Workaway.info lets you search for volunteer work opportunities abroad. You pay for the plane ticket, and the rest is provided in exchange for your work.
5 Lessons Marketers Can Learn From Obama's Victory
The Obama 2012 campaign was a lot different from his 2008 campaign. Here's what marketers can learn from it.
Google Jam Lets You Play Music With Friends Via Chrome Browser
For those who want to play music with their friends across the country, Google is testing a new interactive web app that lets them rock out with others in real time.
How to Install Windows 8 Without Ditching Windows 7
Here's how to keep your Windows 7 installation and have the option of booting into Windows 8 on the same machine.
Gift of the Day
The Force Is Strong With These Star Wars Flash Drives
A Star Wars-themed USB flash drive is the perfect gift for young and old techies.
Sonic Screwdriver Remote Is the Ultimate Gift for 'Doctor Who' Fans
If you have a friend who likes Doctor Who, this TV remote control made to look like the Doctor's sonic screwdriver is the perfect holiday gift.
Keep Your Home Toasty Warm With the Innovative Nest Thermostat
Give the gift of warmth this holiday season, with the Nest Learning Thermostat.
Your Favorite Apple Fan Will Adore an EarPod Upgrade
Apple's new "EarPods" would make a terrific holiday gift. The redesigned earbuds are smart, durable and relatively inexpensive.
LEGO Minecraft Is the Creative Gift for Future Architects
If someone on your gift list loves Minecraft, he probably loves LEGO, too. Get the best of both worlds.
Touch-Sensitive Headphones Respond to Your Every Move
Parrot Ziks fulfill every requirement you might expect from a set of headphones -- and more.
For more tech gift suggestions, visit Mashable's Gift of the Day topic page.
Social Media
Instagram Introduces Web Profiles
Instagram has launched a web companion for users of its photo-sharing and filtering app.
Now You Can Upload Multiple iPhone Photos to Facebook at Once
Facebook released version 5.1 of its iOS app Monday so that you can now upload multiple photos to the social network from the app.
Facebook's iPhone App Now Lets You Send Friends Real-World Gifts [HANDS-ON]
Facebook updated its iOS app Monday, adding the ability to send real-world gifts to your friends, directly from your iPhone.
Facebook App Update Beats Twitter to Punch With Photo Filters
Facebook users with the updated iOS app can now add Instagram-style filters to pictures uploaded via their mobile device.
Why You Should Set Your Instagram to 'Private'
By making your Instagram account private, you will be showing your photo feed only to Instagram users whom you have approved to "follow" you.
Now You Can Add Interactive Images to Your Tweets
You can now view interactive ThingLink images -- which include embedded content -- in Twitter, opening a whole new set of possibilities for the platform.
5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week
We've got another helping of compelling factoids and interesting tidbits from our weekly Reddit Facts series.
TweetDeck Update Adds Keyboard Shortcuts and More
TweetDeck for web, Chrome, and PC was updated Wednesday to version 2.1, bringing with it several new features.
Possible Twitter Hack Prompts Big Password Reset Call [UPDATED]
If you get a message from Twitter saying you have to change your password, don't ignore it as a phishing attempt. It may be real.
Pinterest Introduces Secret Boards
Ever want to pin something on Pinterest, but don't want the entire world to see what's catching your eye? Now you can with its new "secret boards" feature.
Connect Your WordPress Blog With Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr
Think of Jetpack as a bridge that brings functionality from the hosted WordPress.com service to self-hosted WordPress.org blogs.
Facebook Friendships Get a Timeline Upgrade
Facebook is giving friendship pages an upgrade, making them look more like Timeline profiles.
Evian's Melotweet App Turns Your Tweets Into a Musical Experience
Evian, the bottled water brand, has released an app that visualizes your tweet stream and turns it into a musical experience.
For more social media news and resources, you can follow Mashable's social media channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
Business & Marketing
Wine.com Launches Third-Party Marketplace to Take on Amazon
In a preemptive strike against Amazon, Wine.com opened an online marketplace for third-party sellers to sell and distribute their wines.
4 Ways to Catch Up at Work After Sandy
When you’re faced with what seems to be an insurmountable amount of to-dos, it’s probably your first inclination to just start powering through. But there’s a better approach: Get strategic.
NowThisNews Delivers a Premium iOS News Watching Experience
NowThisNews has a great new iOS app that excels at mobile and social.
Yumani's Online Marketplace Makes Sellers Compete for Your Business
Yumani reverses the traditional model for an online marketplace by asking sellers to compete to offer the best price to consumers.
How Mobile Commerce Is Shaking Up the Retail Landscape
Mobile shopping is changing, but retailers large and small can take advantage of new norms.
How to Make Your App Stand Out in the Crowd [INFOGRAPHIC]
Seems like everyone has an app these days, so there's a good chance yours could go unnoticed. Here's how to make your app stand out in a crowded marketplace.
17 Things You Didn't Know About Ecommerce
Many of us take advantage of ecommerce every day by buying or selling online, but here are 17 facts you might not know about it.
Tablet Showdown: iPad Mini, Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD in a Blender
The iPad Mini, Google Nexus 7 and Amazon Kindle Fire HD face off in a Blendtec "Will it Blend?" battle.
5 Things Startups Can Learn From Brands on Viddy
Brands have been using social video sharing platform Viddy to drive up engagement. Here are a few things startups can learn from their success.
NBC Lets Viewers Buy Items They See on TV Via Their Mobile Device
NBC Universal has partnered with Zeebox to let viewers use mobile devices to buy things they see on TV.
6 Steps to Starting a Business From Your Home
Launching a business from your garage or dining room table can keep overhead costs down when you’re just starting out. But what else needs to be done?
Business Card Lights Up When Touched
The card features a ring of LEDs that light up when it's touched, making it impossible to ignore.
Airbnb Lets Kindhearted New Yorkers Offer Free Housing For Hurricane Sandy Victims
Airbnb has launched a program that lets kindhearted New Yorkers offer places to stay for victims of Hurricane Sandy.
MasterCard's "Display Card" Has LCD Screen, Touch-Sensitive Buttons
MasterCard has introduced a credit card in Singapore with an LCD screen and touch-sensitive buttons.
5 Brands That Rock Daily Emails
Email isn't just a great way to communicate with friends and co-workers, it's also a vehicle for connecting with customers. These five brands can attest to that.
Cheers! Now You Can Buy Wine From Amazon [VIDEO]
Amazon is getting into the wine business once again.
For more business news and resources, you can follow Mashable's business channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
Tech & Mobile
How To Recover Deleted Voicemail On An iPhone
If you're with a mobile carrier that supports visual voicemail, there's a way to restore deleted messages right from your device.
4 Hot Tech Deals You Can Grab Right Now
From iTunes deals to home entertainment, we've got four fun tech deals. But hurry -- they expire soon.
Bitcoin: How the Internet Created Its Own Currency
Bitcoin is a peer-to-peer decentralized digital currency. Here's how it works.
Rock Your Way To A Charged iPhone With This Chair [VIDEO]
Meet iRock, a rocking chair with a built-in iPad dock and speakers for listening to tunes and surfing the web, while rocking your day away -- literally.
Apple's Lightning to Micro USB Adapter Comes to the U.S.
Previously available only in Europe, Apple's Lightning to Micro USB adapter is now available in the U.S. as well.
This Technology May Replace Your Remote Control
PredictGaze combines gaze detection, gesture recognition and facial-feature recognition to create more natural ways to control everything from your TV to your car.
This Tech Lets You See Through Your Car's Back Seat [VIDEO]
A researcher in Tokyo developed a system of cameras that give the illusion of your back seat being invisible.
Google Chrome Goes After Marketers With New 'Do Not Track' Feature
Chrome, currently the world's most popular browser, just got an update with the much-requested "Do Not Track" feature.
Never Lose Your iDevice Cord Again With These I.D. Labels [VIDEO]
Whooz are identification labels that help iDevice owners avoid cord confusion.
How to Charge Your iPad Mini Faster
By using the 10-watt iPad 3 charger, we were able to charge the iPad Mini from 0-100% in about 2.5 hours, a difference of around 25%.
Your City Needs These 7 Open Data Apps
From legislative information to reporting potholes, bus arrivals to health violations, mobile and web apps are improving city living. Check out these innovative apps.
Apple iPad Mini is Gorgeous, But Not the Best [REVIEW]
Apple's iPad Mini is another stunning piece of design work from Apple, but it's not the best in the near-7-inch class.
The iPhone's Hidden Costs [VIDEO]
Taking public health, economics and environmental factors into consideration, InsuranceQuote assigned a modest grade to the new iPhone.
Autodesk Makes 3D Modeling Simple With 123D Design
Autodesk released 123D Design, a free 3D modeling tool that allows users to quickly and easily create 3D models that they can then 3D print.
New Tumblr for iOS Brings Faster, 'Native' Experience
Tumblr has launched a new version of its iOS app, bringing the version number to 3.2.
Tech Tools to Minimize Student Loan Debt
Students are having a hard time repaying their loans for college, though a host of online tools can help manage sometimes overwhelming amounts of debt.
Nokia Lumia 920: A Big Phone With a Killer Camera [REVIEW]
Although the Lumia 920’s is relatively bulky, it runs like a dream and has one of the best cameras ever built into a smartphone.
Gramophone Amplifies Your iPhone, Edison-Style
In 1877, Thomas Edison invented the phonograph. Now, in 2012, a company reinvented it -- for your iPhone and iPad devices.
iPad 4: A Turbocharged Tablet With Nothing to Do [REVIEW]
Despite appearances, the iPad 4 is a considerable upgrade from the iPad 3. However, there are few apps that can take advantage of the increased power.
For more tech news and resources, you can follow Mashable's tech channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.
Lifestyle
Will Stalking Your Date Online Kill Your Chances? [VIDEO]
This week's episode of Love in the Time of Robots explores whether online stalking is ever a good idea -- especially before a first date.
With This Flex-Neck Lighter, You Won't Get Burned
Burned fingertips and singed hands are no fun, but sometimes incurring those minor injuries are unavoidable when we're lighting candles or barbecue grills.
Power Nap at Work in Zen-Like CalmSpace [VIDEO]
CalmSpace lets users step away from the daily grind by offering an "optimized" environment for power naps.
10 Stylish Stands For Your iPhone
Looking for a tidy solution to keep your iPhone handy yet out of harm's way at your desk? We have you covered.
Track the Spread of Flu With These Apps
No one likes having the flu -- body aches, fever, lying in bed all day -- but not everyone does something to prevent it.
Your Cocktail is Served: Ordering Drinks is Hassle-Free With Coaster App
Good news, San Franciscans -- we have (another) reason to go to happy hour -- an app called Coaster makes the mob scene at the bar a thing of the past.
7 Cozy Clothing Items With Built-In Headphones
These pieces of outerwear let you listen to music on the go without any extra wires.
Digitally Connected Scale Sends Your Apps the Naked Truth
Withings has figured out a way to make getting on the bathroom scale a little easier and a lot more accurate.
Pogoseat App Spares You From Seat-Swapping Humiliation on Gameday
Pogoseat lets fans upgrade to better seats while at the game, and lets teams recoup some of the money lost on good tickets that go unsold.
When Parents Take Back Facebook
Parents are using their children's attachment to social media to their advantage, making it a powerful incentive in the age-old struggle to raise kids right.
Nanotech Gloves Heat Hands to Ideal Temperature
The Chaval Response-XRT gloves ($390) are for the ultimate outdoors person -- or anyone who intends to spend some time in freezing conditions.
Flower Pot Doubles as Mini Grill
The Hot-Pot BBQ not only allows users to grow herbs, but you can also use it to cook your next meal.
Four Steps for Using Your Mobile Device to Jumpstart Your Love Life
Ever thought of your smartphone as a wingman? Read on. Here are four ways you can use your mobile device to jumpstart your love life.
Rivo is Keurig's First Cappuccino and Latte System
Keurig released their Rivo cappuccino and latte system on Thursday.
For more digital lifestyle news and resources, you can follow Mashable's lifestyle channel on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.