If you joined Twitter this year, you’re in excellent company: other new Tweeters include Nelson Mandela, Joe Biden, Plaxico Burress, Christina Aguilera, Salman Rushdie, New York Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson, and the Pope.

Today’s #YearInReview list highlights some of the leaders, athletes, entertainers, journalists and other notables who dove into the Twitter stream. And they’re just a few of the 100 million people around the globe who use Twitter to see what’s happening in the world right now, share stories and information instantly, and connect to anyone, anywhere.

If you’d like to see who else is on Twitter, check out our guide to Twitter's suggestions for Who to Follow.

The December edition of Twitter Stories highlights ten remarkable moments of 2011. From the man who inadvertently live-tweeted the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound to the homeless dad who was reunited with his daughter after years of separation, this list, which doubles as the annual “Year in Stories,” chronicles how people use Twitter to make a difference in ways that are both personal and universal. Here's one story:



Around the world, people sent more than 60 billion Tweets in 2011, each one reflecting a particular perspective and point in time. To choose just ten of these to sum up the year is virtually impossible. Instead of attempting to identify the “most important” Tweets of the year, we’re recognizing ten Tweets that are emblematic of the many resonant moments that happened first on Twitter—or could only happen on Twitter.

As these instances show, a single Tweet can bring you closer to neighbors and heroes, immerse you in political change or disaster relief. You might even get a steak dinner where you least expect it.

If you’ve got a Twitter story to tell, use the hashtag #TwitterStories and follow us at @TwitterStories.

Thanksgiving Day is upon us—tomorrow families and friends across the U.S. will gather to feast, relax and watch football or movies. It seems like a good time to share all the ways to enjoy our national holiday of gratitude on Twitter.

It’s all about the food
Some of the most useful (and delicious) Twitter accounts to follow right now have to do with food, of course. From well-known foodies like Martha Stewart (@MarthaStewart) and Rachael Ray (@rachael_ray) to brands like @WholeFoods and @FoodNetwork, the pros are tweeting out the latest tips to help you cook, serve and survive in good form.

...and other fun
For sports fans, Thanksgiving Day is all about the NFL lineup. If you’re planning to watch all the games, follow your favorite teams on Twitter, and see what fans everywhere are saying about the game. Here’s more information about all things NFL and Twitter.

Naturally, amusing Thanksgiving-related hashtags are popping up. Search for #LiteraryTurducken, where people from all over are chiming in with book titles that combine three classic works into one, in the spirit of the classic Creole turkey+duck+chicken main dish.

Finally, here are our staff picks for Thanksgiving-related accounts we think you’ll enjoy. And by the way, we’re feeling grateful ourselves—thank you for making Twitter all that it is.

Increasingly people flock to Twitter to discover information and connect around occurrences like natural disasters, sporting events and cultural moments. And then there are times when Twitter is where you might go to experience an infrequent curiosity.

Take last Friday, which was November 11, 2011. Whether you were inclined to crack a joke about this rare binary occurrence, wax poetic about its meaning, or join in a global game to share photos at 11 a.m. and 11 p.m., numerology dominated the conversation.

This clip is a visualization of all the Tweets mentioning 11:11 on 11.11.11. Each “1” is a location that moves with the conversation on Twitter. Their scale varies depending on the volume of Tweets posted from the location they represent. You can see the main wave move from right to left, and then a second one that occurred at 11 p.m. around the world.



A special thanks to our own @miguelrios, whose visualizations of this data demonstrate moments on Twitter that can unite us all.

Twitter is transforming the way we watch TV. Reading and writing Tweets has become the new water cooler, helping us connect in real-time around our favorite shows, competitions and events. On Twitter, you get closer to the characters and shows you love, as stars, writers, directors, news anchors and more live-tweet from behind the scenes.

And now things are getting even more exciting for Twitter and TV — and more specifically fans of The X Factor USA. We've partnered with the show so that starting next week, you can cast votes for your favorite contestants via Twitter. Fans have taken to Twitter during live television events to voice their opinions with Tweets for years. Now you can officially affect the outcome of the show by voting for which contestants should stay and which ones need to go.

To vote, follow @TheXFactorUSA. Then submit your vote through a Direct Message (a private way to communicate on Twitter) so as not to spoil the results. All votes are sent directly to The X Factor to be counted. Tweets do not count as votes.

The easiest way to vote is by visiting twitter.thexfactorusa.com. We’re also featuring Tweets from the judges, the host and the final contestants to get inside every angle of the action. You don’t have to wait for voting to begin though. Join the conversation with other X Factor fans today with #XFactor and tell Simon what you think — he’s listening!

From singing competitions to awards ceremonies to dramas, watching your favorite shows is better with Twitter. In addition to tuning in to The X Factor on Twitter, here are other ways to get closer to your favorite television shows and stars:

• TV stars live-tweet to give you a behind-the-scenes glimpse into what’s happening on your screen. From Kyra Sedgwick live-tweeting the summer’s finale of The Closer to Masi Oka bringing fans behind the scenes of Hawaii 5-0, stars use Twitter to talk to viewers and viewers are talking back.
• #Hashtags organize the conversation. You’ve probably spotted hashtags on your television screen this year. From #DWTS to #BigBangTheory to playful hashtags like X Factor’s #BestMomentSoFar, hashtags are the front door to the shared conversation on Twitter. Search for them on Twitter and add them to your own Tweets to join in.
• Twitter lets everyone become a TV critic, 140 characters at a time. Show creators, actors, producers and executives search Twitter to gather feedback — and they’ve been known to revise a show’s storyline based on what fans are saying.

We’ve collected best practices across the industry to help producers and TV executives keep innovating around Twitter and TV.

Twitter is now fully integrated into Apple’s new iOS 5 mobile operating system, available for the first time today. Now it’s even easier to share and read Tweets on your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Simply enter your Twitter login information into your device settings, and you’ll always be connected to your Twitter account. This means you can tweet directly from Apple apps like Camera, Maps, Photos, Safari and YouTube, along with third party apps, such as Chomp, Flipboard, LivingSocial, Instagram, MadPad, PopSugar, Showyou, SoundTracking and Zynga's Words with Friends.  

You can also take advantage of the latest version of Twitter for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, which now allows you upload images directly to Twitter (pic.twitter.com). Download the Twitter app now from the App Store.

This year’s @NHL season starts tonight and goes through June. Thanks to Twitter, hockey fans can check in on every angle of the action, anytime. Here’s how:

Follow the players.
No matter your allegiance, you can find a favorite player on Twitter. A few suggestions: Washington Capitals captain @Ovi8, New York Ranger @BrandonPrust8, San Jose Shark and Calder Cup finalist @LoganCouture, or Flyer @Max25talbot. Find more with the NHL’s players list.

Go behind the scenes.
The league’s Senior Vice President @NHLShanahan keeps fans up-to-date with the latest news on player suspensions and fines, including personal video explanations. Insiders @Real_ESPNLeBrun, NHL columnist Pierre LeBrun, and Canada’s @TSNBobMcKenzie share news, analysis and insight into the action. And if Fantasy Hockey is your game, stay informed with @NHLcomFantasy and @ESPNFantasy for tips and suggestions.

Get instant updates.
Turn on SMS notifications for your favorite accounts and make sure you never miss a goal all season long. You can learn about it here.

Follow the teams.
Every team in the NHL is on Twitter. Follow your favorites for updated scores, player information and news. Check out the full list below.

Eastern:
Atlantic: New Jersey Devils [@NHLDevils], New York Islanders [@NYIslanders] New York Rangers [@thenyrangers], Philadelphia Flyers [@NHLFlyers], Pittsburgh Penguins [@pghpenguins]

Northeast: Boston Bruins [@NHLBruins], Buffalo Sabres [@SabresDotCom], Montréal Canadiens [@CanadiensMTL], Toronto Maple Leafs [@MapleLeafs], Ottawa Senators [@NHL_Sens]

Southeast: Carolina Hurricanes [@nhl_canes], Florida Panthers [@FlaPanthers], Tampa Bay Lightning [@TBLightning], Washington Capitals [@washcaps], Winnipeg Jets [@NHLJets]

Western:
Central: Chicago Blackhawks [@NHLBlackhawks], Columbus Blue Jackets [@BlueJacketsNHL], Detroit Red Wings [@DetroitRedWings], Nashville Predators [@PredsNHL], St. Louis Blues [@St_Louis_Blues]

Northwest: Calgary Flames [@NHLFlames], Colorado Avalanche [@Avalanche], Edmonton Oilers [@NHL_Oilers], Minnesota Wild [@mnwild], Vancouver Canucks [@VanCanucks]

Pacific: Anaheim Ducks [@AnaheimDucks], Dallas Stars [@DallasStars], Los Angeles Kings [@LAKings], Phoenix Coyotes [@phoenixcoyotes], San Jose Sharks [@SanJoseSharks]

For even more suggestions, check out this list.

Sending a text message (or SMS message) has always been one of the easiest ways to share information and keep up with your favorite accounts on Twitter. SMS is currently available in about 80 countries and nine languages and usage continues to grow. Nearly four billion SMS messages are sent and received on Twitter every month.

Starting today, you can share photos on Twitter by including a photo in your text message. It’s simple: just enter the text of your Tweet as you normally would, attach a photo to the message and send to Twitter. This feature is currently available with the following carriers*: AT&T, Verizon Wireless and C Spire Wireless in the US; Vodafone, O2 and Orange in the UK; Vodafone Italy; Rogers Communications in Canada; VIVA Bahrain; and, TIM Brazil. We’ll continue to work with more carriers to enable their customers to share photos via text message.

Here are a few other text messaging updates and tips to check out:

• Fast Follow: Last year we announced that anyone in the U.S. can instantly receive Tweets on their phone, even if they don’t have a Twitter account, by simply sending a text message. This feature is now available globally with any carrier that offers Twitter SMS. Read more about how Fast Follow works here.
• SMS Commands: There are a few useful one-word commands that you can send to Twitter to get information.
• "Suggest": lets you get suggestions for accounts to follow
• "Stats": sends you your basic profile info, including your bio info, number of followers and the number of accounts you follow
• "Help" or "Tips": to get handy Twitter SMS tips

Send “follow @twittermobile” to Twitter to keep up with the latest mobile Twitter news.

*Your carrier’s messaging rates may apply.

Today, we’re increasing Twitter’s reach by launching in five new languages. Twitter is now available in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, Hindi, Filipino and Malay. Last week’s announcement of 100 million active users worldwide shows Twitter’s current reach; with these new languages Twitter will now be more easily accessible to almost half a billion people around the world.

Twitter now fully supports 17 languages. Our crowd-sourced translation process relies on a dedicated community of volunteer translators to both translate and moderate twitter.com, support pages, Twitter apps and more. Many thanks to our 290,000 (and counting) volunteer translators.

We will continue to add more languages to the Translation Center for crowdsourced translation. Coming soon to the Translation Center: Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Polish and Hungarian.