27 Autumn Photos That Will Leaf You Wanting More

Hold on to your cider donuts, because Autumn is in full swing. The change of season has officially hit with a flurry of flannel and fresh, fall air

See also: 10 Real-Life Haunted Locations Across the U.S.

Last week, we asked Mashable readers to submit photos that captured the feeling of Autumn for our Photo Challenge. Pumpkin carving, apple picking, PSL sipping – the traditions and festivities that come with this season never disappoint

We received a unique array of pictures featuring the fiery reds and bright yellows of fallen leaves, plump pumpkins, and the finest fashion that sweater weather can bring. Scroll through our featured picks below, and check out all of the other submissions here. Read more...

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Vine Challenge: Surprise Us With an Unexpected Twist

Everyone loves a film with a good twist — and the Vine community isn't any different. But the good thing about plot twists on the video-sharing service is that it only takes six seconds to get to the good stuff.

Mashable is collaborating with Unpopular Now for this week's Vine challenge. We want you to surprise us with a creative twist in your video.

See also: 10 Twitter Stories With Plot Twists You Won't See Coming

"My favorite way to achieve this is to choose an object, and then make that object do something impossible or unexpected," Unpopular Now CEO and creative director Peter Heacock said. "Or pick a scene in which the outcome is expected, and then alter that outcome to give an element of surprise." Read more...

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'Pathetic Slap on the Wrist': World Reacts to Oscar Pistorius Sentence

As news broke that South African Paralympian Oscar Pistorius on Tuesday had been sentenced to five years in prison for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, social networks exploded with commentary and reactions

See also: Oscar Pistorius Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Killing Girlfriend

Pistorius was acquitted of murder but convicted of culpable homicide which meant, at most, he was facing 15 years in prison. Judge Thokozile Masipa said the sentence was about "achieving the right balance."

On Twitter, however, many did not seem to think balance had been achieved.

"Men such as Pistorius have had their lives ruined"

Not quite as ruined as Reeva though

http://bitly.com/1Dw4pgT

— Ebola Holborn (@Holbornlolz) October 21, 2014 Read more...

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7 Tips for Using Social Media During Conferences

So, you're attending a conference. You've paid the entrance fee, put on the best outfit ever, grabbed a big stack of business cards and made sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date.

The one piece of the conference puzzle I can almost guarantee you're missing? Social media.

With the rise of platforms like Twitter and Instagram, it's easier than ever for conference organizers to put their in-person events online in real time. And while this is great promotion for the conference, it's good for you, too. Being active on social media during an event can help you with your personal branding, expand your network to more like-minded people and get more out of the entire conference experience in general. Read more...

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Tweet a Short Story for a Chance to Win a Copy of Margaret Atwood's 'Stone Mattress'

Novels, poems, essays, children's books — Margaret Atwood can write it all

Since she released her first poetry collection Double Persephone in 1961, Atwood has published more than 50 works, including her dystopian masterpiece The Handmaid's Tale .

See also: Read the First Story from Margaret Atwood's 'Stone Mattress,' Our MashableReads Selection

Most recently, Atwood has delved into short story writing with her collection Stone Mattress: Nine Tales , October's MashableReads book club selection. Throughout the collection, Atwood explores what it means to grow old, detailing everything from how an aging genre-writer plots revenge against his former roommates to how a near-blind elderly woman struggles to survive an attack on her retirement home. Read more...

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What's Really the Difference Between Facebook Pages, Groups and Profiles?

With several overlapping features, Facebook's Pages, groups and profiles leave many users confused

Together, these three functions help us stay connected, but each has its own purpose and works for different types of content. Whether you want to stay in touch with friends, promote your brand or meet others with the same hobbies, we can help you determine which tool will most effectively meet your needs

See also: 14 Facebook Tools You Didn't Know Existed

Below, we highlight the differences between Facebook Pages, groups and profiles to help you understand when and how to use each one Read more...

What's a profile?

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Snapchat Freaks Out Users With First Ad for 'Ouija'

Snapchat ads have officially arrived

The photo sharing app's first advertisement was a 20-second trailer for the upcoming horror movie from Universal Pictures, Ouija.

See also: 9 Things We'd Change About Snapchat

As previously outlined by the company, the ad appeared in the app's "Recent Updates" section and users can choose whether or not they want to view the ad.

Snapchat's first ad is a 20 second movie trailer for "Ouija" http://bitly.com/1yNOFGi

— Tim Peterson (@petersontee) October 18, 2014

It's not clear how long the the video will appear in the section or how often the company plans to rotate new ads, but it's likely Snapchat will continue to experiment with native advertising Read more...

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