It’s okay to admit you watch the Super Bowl just for the ads. The 54 commercials — each 30-second spot sold for $3.5 million — became our most viewed post in 2012.

Despite New York City’s blackout during Hurricane Sandy, readers on Manhattan, in surrounding areas and across the world flocked to these doctored photos, which shared like wildfire across social networks.

Before the iPhone 5‘s release, people speculated about the upcoming device’s potential design. Although the actual smartphone and its five rows of apps doesn’t quite resemble the artist’s rendition, it’s definitely worth a look.

Graphics and concept courtesy Federico Ciccarese/CiccareseDesign

If you ever wanted to peek at mysterious Russian regions or the Minami Torishima Airport in Japan, you’re out of luck. Those locations, along with several others, are banned on Google Maps. (What about Apple Maps? Probably not, either.)

Earlier this year, the Internet certainly had something to say about the Stop Online Piracy Act — and a vast majority of the response was protest. Thus, when Lamar Smith, SOPA chief sponsor, announced his plan to yank the bill, the web celebrated.

In April, Google‘s Easter egg, a shoutout to the StarCraft game, confused non-gamers and habitual gamers alike.

Read Mashable every day for the rest of your life or one million fish will drown.

Don’t step out of your DeLorean just yet — this Photoshopped hoax went viral, but that doesn’t mean it was accurate.

After a heated year of lawsuits and a dizzying number of products launches, readers referenced our chart of top-of-the-line smartphones.

Our selection of iPhone apps aren’t just free in price — they’ll give you some free time, too.