Remember when you'd get home from school on Friday afternoon, switch on your favorite video game and the next thing you know it's Sunday night? Oh, to be young again.

Well, a group of seven "adults" in the U.K. seem to have uncovered a compelling reason to rediscover the childhood dream of a weekend video game marathon, except this is no ordinary marathon -- it's a Mariothon. The gamers will be playing 13 different Mario games over 72 consecutive hours to benefit the Starlight Children's Foundation, a charity that raises money for terminally ill children.

"We chose Mario because we all loved the original Nintendo Mario games, and we felt it was something many people would be able to…
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More About: Mario, Mariothon, Social Good, Wii, video game

that introduces Mashable readers to compelling startups. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here.

Name: Lookcraft

One-Liner Pitch: An e-commerce site that helps men decide what to wear and lets them try out fashion items for free from the comfort of their own homes.

Why It's Taking Off: Lookcraft re-imagines the shopping experience to tap into the multi-billion dollar online retail market for men.

There is a long held stereotype that men hate to shop for clothes, but Jamie Quint believes the real problem is just that shopping experiences are rarely if ever designed specifically with men in mind.

"The shopping exp…
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More About: Startups, The Launchpad

As election day approaches, you might be getting sick of the political bickering in your News Feed. You can try to fight it, but political participation on social media is contagious.

Since 2004, politicians like Howard Dean and Ron Paul have been using social and new media to advance their causes and put themselves in front of younger voters who aren't just tech-savvy, they're tech-centric. Facebook and Twitter are powerful tools for spreading information and news, as Barack Obama used to his advantage in his 2008 bid for the presidency.

But Facebook can do more than just familiarize voters with a candidate or let them "Like" a campaign page. For the younger demographic of new voter…
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More About: 2012 presidential campaign, Facebook, Politics, Social Media, Twitter, infographics

Microsoft launched both Windows 8 and its own Surface tablet in the U.S. early Friday morning at 12:01 a.m. ET with the opening of the Microsoft Store in New York City's Times Square.

People waited for hours to be one of the first to experience the new tech, including Glenn Acosta, who had the No. 1 spot in line.

"It's definitely worth every penny I spent on it," said Acosta, shortly after his purchase (the Surface starts at $499). "When they first announced that they were going to make [the Surface], I said 'I'm going to research this thing, and I'm going to buy it."

Acosta may have waited for hours and paid hundreds of dollars for his new…
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More About: Microsoft Surface, microsoft, microsoft store, retail, surface tablet

The San Francisco Giants aren't just winning the World Series two games to none -- they're also killing it so hard on social media they've tied President Obama with a near-maximum Klout score of 99.

More About: Major League Baseball, Sports

In the mood to point your iPhone at someone, press a button and blast that person to smithereens? There's an app for that.

It's called Nerf Lazer Tag, and the app works best when you pair it with the Lazer Tag blaster ($40), a gun that amplifies the experience with sounds and more buttons. It's compatible with both the iPhone 4/4S and the older iPod touch models, holding the device securely in a hatch and connecting via the headphone jack.

SEE ALSO: Watch How Awesome It Is to Play Lazer Tag on iPhone [VIDEO]

Using the iPhone's camera, the screen displays an augmented reality version of your surroundings. You can play solo against various evil-looking drones, leveling up afte…
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More About: Gift of the Day, Nerf, features, holidays 2012

Microsoft officially launched on Friday its Windows 8 operating system nearly four months after the company first announced the news.

More About: Windows, Windows 8, microsoft

Hurricane Sandy is in full swing, possibly delaying flights and making travel more difficult. While you may have to deal with some unpleasant travel setbacks, there are a number of websites and apps, in addition to smart advice, that can help make your journey as smooth as possible. (It might be wise to keep these in mind for holiday travel, too.)

Mashable reached out to some travel experts for tips about how you can protect yourself from losing money and avoiding figurative bumps in the road when you're traveling.

George Hobica, founder of Airfarewatchdog.com, says Trip Advisor site Tingo lets you book refundable hotel rooms. If the room rate drops, Tingo will automatically rebook t…
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More About: Frankenstorm, flights, travel

Ne-Yo, Natasha Bedingfield and other well known artists have come together to move this country forward. The singers have produced a song and video in support of re-electing President Obama.

Though the video is not sponsored by the official campaign, it still mirrors the incumbent's 2012 campaign slogan -- Forward. It's a sequel to 2008's celebrity-driven, "Yes We Can." Like "Yes We Can," "Forward" is executive produced by Fred Goldring,

SEE ALSO: Listen to the Sequel to 'Yes We Can' for the 2012 Obama Campaign

Shot in black and white, the video incorporates the words of Obama throughout the song.

"I have never been more hopeful about America," Obama says.

The video…
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More About: election 2012, president obama

More details have surfaced regarding Google's Nexus 10 tablet.

The bigger brother to the Nexus 7, released earlier this year, the Nexus 10 Is expected to be announced on Monday at a Google event in New York City.

According to Brief Mobile, which published shots of the tablet Friday, the Nexus 10 will has a Samsung-built Exynos 5250 processor (the same processor being used in Google's new Chromebook), 2GB of RAM, and 16GB of built-in storage.

The 10-inch tablet's screen will have a 2560 x 1600 resolution (198.9ppi). Camera-wise were looking at a 5-megapixel rear-facing camera, as well as a forward-facing camera. The W-Fi only device will also support Bluetooth 4.0, and NF…
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More About: Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Android 4.2, Google, Nexus 10, android, trending

Psy Lookalike at HallowMEME

Click here to view this gallery.

Psy look-alikes were aplenty at the 2012 HallowMEME costume party on Thursday night -- but only one could be named the gangnam-iest of all.

Attendees were challenged to a "Gangnam Style" dance-off, which was mandatory for anyone dressed as Psy.

The competition was fierce, but photographer Nick McGlynn had the moves (and costume) like none other.

SEE ALSO: Gangnam Style! The Anatomy of a Viral Sensation [INFOGRAPHIC]

Take a look at the gallery above and pick your favorite Psy impersonator from HallowMEME. Then watch them all in action in the short video below.

More About: Halloween, Watercooler, gangnam style, pics

This week saw a launch of epic proportions, where a product created by geniuses was finally released after many years of tinkering to a grateful public.

The iPad Mini? No, we speak of the Onion Book of Known Knowledge, a 1,500-entry encyclopedia of sheer brilliance from the Internet's most awesome fake news source. As the book's own blurb announces, it has arrived "just in time for the death of the print industry."

Although the humor shelves of your local bookstore are (or were, if your local bookstore is no more) stuffed with Onion publications, this is only the third of them that contains entirely original content. Our Dumb Century (a fake 20th century history, published in 1999)…
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More About: books, the onion, trending

With less than two weeks until Election Day, both presidential candidates are making last ditch efforts to mobilize their constituencies -- to get on Facebook.

Both President Obama and GOP contender Mitt Romney are hoping their supporters use their own social networks to lift momentum for their respective campaigns.

The Romney-Ryan team sent emails today saying, "You can make a defining difference by doing something as simple as reminding your Facebook friends and family to get out and vote for Mitt Romney."

Obama's team sent a similar email emphasizing that Facebook and online methods could help draw the needed support in swing states.

"I know I can count on your vote, b…
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More About: Facebook, Mitt Romney, election 2012, president obama

The Mashable Media Summit is going to sell out, so get your ticket today. On Nov. 2, the one-day Media Summit conference will explore the latest innovations in the space and the future of journalism. Plus, you'll have the opportunity to network with high-level executives in many industries and mingle with Mashable staff.

Some of the influential speakers joining the summit include Alexis Ohanian, co-founder of Reddit, Kay M. Matadi, head of entertainment at Facebook, Bonita Stewart, vice president of Americas Partner Business Solutions at Google, David Carey, president at Hearst Magazines, Joan Walsh, editor-at-large at Salon, and Tom Bedecarre, CEO of AKQA.

You can view the…
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More About: Events, Media, media summit

We know what Twitter is, but where are all the tweets coming from? For answers, look no further than the one million tweet map.

Powered through Maptimize, the Twitter map updates every time a tweet is sent. Every time 20 new tweets come in, 20 of the oldest tweets are removed.

The global map updates geotagged tweets through Twitter's API. The data can be viewed as a heat map or cluster and you can narrow the timeframe for when tweets were sent. See the video above for more information.

More About: Twitter, twitter map

A Twitter hoax suggesting Justin Bieber has cancer taught teenage girls everywhere a valuable lesson this week: You should fact check before you shave your head. Or, maybe it's all just an elaborate story crafted by 4Chan.

Originally posted on Oct. 22, the hoax started with a screenshot of what appears to be a tweet from Entertainment Tonight's official Twitter account announcing that Bieber was diagnosed with cancer that morning and suggesting fans go #BaldforBieber in support of the pop icon. The photo also shows what looks to be a tweet from Bieber's official account, thanking ET for the support

Shortly after the tweets, a website, BaldforBieber.com, launched showing Photoshoppe…
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More About: Twitter, hoax, justin bieber, trending

We love a good spooky story, especially this time of year. With Halloween just around the corner, we've got ghouls and goblins on the brain.

Many people make time to revisit their favorite scary movies this time of year. While a good horror film can be a great way to get in the spirit of the season, there's also something to be said for a suspenseful story. From Edgar Allan Poe to Agatha Christie to Roald Dahl's The Witches, we love the way literature can be outright unsettling, and without too much gore.

SEE ALSO: 13 Terrifyingly Realistic Halloween Makeup Jobs [PICS]

Last year we hosted a short story contest. We asked you to use as much of a Facebook post (that's 63,206 chara…
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More About: Halloween, Social Media, Twitter, community

1. Windows 1.0

You'll never see Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer more excited about a clock than in this Windows 1.0 commercial from the '80s.

Click here to view this gallery.

Over the past few decades, Microsoft has advertised its products using a variety of tactics: employee anecdotes, celebrity endorsements, humorous parodies and poignant nostalgia.

The latest software, Windows 8, officially launched Thursday. And Microsoft will certainly produce plenty of ads to follow.

In the meantime, let's take a look back at some of the company's most memorable moments in advertising. Something tells us Steve Ballmer is no longer bragging about the Windows "clock feature."

SEE ALSO: Everything You Need to Know About Windows 8

Which ads will we chuckle at in 30 years? Share your predictions in the comments below.

More About: Advertising, Tech, YouTube, features, microsoft, nostalgia

The Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) new pre-screening system "pre-check," may have a security flaw which allows passengers to know in advance whether they will be subject to the standard security check at the airport.

Aviation blogger John Butler warned about the vulnerability in a blog post on October 19.

Travelers who opt in to the system -- usually already frequent fliers -- are vetted by the TSA, and then are randomly chosen to undergo less intensive security screening at the airport. They don't have to remove their shoes, laptops, or liquid items. TSA receives the passenger information from the airlines themselves, but the security agency makes the final det…
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More About: Airport Security, airport, cybersecurity, tsa

Who says sports don't matter? This touching YouTube video of friends giving their beloved coworker a World Series ticket will put a lump in your throat.

More About: Sports, viral videos

A Twitter stunt of next-level trash talk by cornerback Richard Sherman has set up possibly the most epic matchup in NFL history.

More About: Sports, nfl

1. "Favorite" Files for Offline Reading

If you "favorite" images or text documents on your mobile device using the Dropbox app, you can access those files later, even if you're not connected to Wi-Fi or cellular service.

Click here to view this gallery.

Between hosting webpages and emailing files straight to your folders, there's a lot you can do with Dropbox that you never knew before.

More About: Dropbox, apps, cloud, data storage, features

Got Windows 8? Find yourself missing your Google functionality with all that Bing on board?

The search giant is fighting back. It launched a Google Search app as well as a Chrome app for Windows 8 Friday -- and a catchy video to go along with it.

SEE ALSO: Everything You Need To Know About Windows 8

Check out the video above for a play-by-play on how to "Get Your Google Back" in Windows 8 -- set to the tune of "I Want You Back" by the Jackson 5, covered here by the band Jaymes Reunion.

Would this win you back to Google, Windows 8 users, or do you prefer Bing? Let us know in the comments.

More About: Google, Windows 8

If you need a better reminder to check your breasts for lumps, there's an app that will keep that thought lingering in your mind for a lot longer than those paper brochures at the doctor's office.

Toronto-based charity, Rethink Breast Cancer, released an update to its app that uses hunky men, often shirtless, to remind women to perform regular self breast examinations (the update is that there are "more hot guys" on the app).

The bare-chested men tell ladies to show themselves some TLC -- touch, look, check. You can schedule weekly or monthly reminders on the app. Another fun feature -- you can send man-o-grams to your friends reminding them…
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More About: apps, breast cancer awareness

Classical music isn't always considered the coolest thing to for kids to listen to these days. So, how do you get children to enjoy it?

This video attempts the feat by mashing up classics with pop songs kids know and love. The idea seems to be working -- at least with the video's adorable narrators, Alyssa Lower and Aiden Medina.

The duo is accompanied by a four piece orchestra as they sing the lyrics to popular songs to the tune of classic pieces such as Beethoven's Fur Elise and Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.

SEE ALSO: 7 Pianists + 1 Piano = This Cover of Jay-Z and Kanye West's 'Paris'

The lyrics to several internet favorites make an appearance -- Call…
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More About: Watercooler

In what looks like a robot scene pulled from "The Terminator," a government agency has released a video of a robot that can climb stairs and cross passages.

More About: Robot, robotics

Apple's stock fell below $600 in intraday trading on Friday for the first time since July, following a disappointing earnings report on Thursday and lower-than-expected projections for the company's profit margins for the December quarter.

The company surpassed analyst estimates for iPhone sales, but missed on iPad sales and its earnings-per-share for the September quarter. More alarming for investors, Apple projected that it will report a significantly lower profit margin in the upcoming fiscal quarter than analysts had expected. Apple said that it will report a profit of $11.75 a share in the December quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $15.49 a share.

Tim Cook, Apple's CEO…
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Microsoft's Windows 8 release may not be the savior of the PC business that some had hoped -- at least not in the short term -- according to a couple of Microsoft's PC partners.

In particular, Acer says its PC shipments will rise 5% in the fourth quarter, a comedown from the 5%-10% jump it had previously forecast. "The experience on [Windows 8] is going to be good, but what we don't know is how soon users can actually experience the products," Acer President Jim Wong said during a news conference on Thursday.

Samsung was similarly downbeat about a fourth-quarter boost from Windows 8. The company noted in its third-quarter earnings release that "demand for PC DRAM will be weak due t…
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More About: Acer, Windows 8, samsung

Have you ever dreamed of traveling through space? Alas, you might never be able to do it for real. But luckily, there's an app for that.

Solar Walk, an app for the iPad, let's you explore the solar system in 3D on your tablet. No need for rockets, spaceships or zero-gravity. Now you can see a reproduction of Jupiter's rings from the comfort of your couch. And it's not just about exploring, the app has a lot of information on every planet and satellite to satisfy the appetites of the space geeks out there.

You can also plug your iPad to your 3D HDTV and explore the universe in stunning 3D on your TV. All you need is an HDMI cable and an adapter.…
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More About: apps, astronomy, popular science, space

Paul Ceglia, a New York man who claimed he owned 84% of Facebook, has been arrested for trying to defraud the company and CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

More About: Facebook, crime, mark zuckerberg, paul-ceglia