AppleCare+ for Apple Watch Series 4 Costs $79, Up From $49 for Series 3

AppleCare+ for Apple Watch Series 4 models is priced at $79 per month, $30 more than AppleCare+ cost for the Apple Watch Series 3 models.

The new AppleCare+ pricing for the Apple Watch Series 4 models is listed on purchase pages and on Apple’s AppleCare+ product page. Customers purchasing AppleCare+ for a new Apple Watch can pay the $79 up front or pay a fee of $3.99 per month for 24 months.

AppleCare+ for Apple Watch Series 3 models is priced at $49 up front or $2.49 per month for 24 months.

It’s not clear why Apple has increased the price of AppleCare+ for the Apple Watch Series 4 by $30, but these models do include larger displays and new electrical sensors to enable ECG functionality.

The $79 price point applies to both aluminum and stainless steel Apple Watch Series 4 models with LTE + GPS connectivity and GPS connectivity alone.

AppleCare+ for Apple Watch Series 4 extends warranty coverage up to two years from the date of purchase and it adds coverage for two incidents of accidental damage, each subject to a $69 service fee.

For Hermès Apple Watch Series 4 models, Apple is continuing to charge $99 for AppleCare+.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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Third-Party Retailers and Carriers Offering iPhone XS, XS Max and Apple Watch Series 4 Pre-Orders Tonight

Pre-orders for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 will begin at 12:01 a.m Pacific Time on September 14, which is just hours away. While Apple tends to offer the smoothest, more streamlined pre-order process through its website and Apple Store app, multiple carriers and retailers will also be offering September 14 pre-orders.

There are no rumors suggesting supplies of the new devices are going to be constrained, but it’s always a good idea to pre-order early if you’re aiming for a launch day device. It’s a good idea to have a backup plan if Apple happens to sell out of a particular device that you’re aiming for.

Below, we’ve rounded up the carriers and retailers in the United States that we’ve confirmed are offering pre-orders for the new Apple Watch and iPhone models.

Carriers

T-Mobile will begin accepting pre-orders for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on September 14.

Customers can elect to sign up for a reminder email on the T-Mobile website, and those with the T-Mobile app will receive a push notification when pre-orders go live.

T-Mobile’s Equipment Installment Plan will require a $279.99 down payment for the 64GB iPhone XS, with monthly payments at $30. Higher down payments of $429 and $629 are required for the 256 and 512GB models.

For the iPhone XS Max, T-Mobile will require customers to pay $379.99 up front, with monthly payments at $30 per month. A downpayment of $529 is required for the 256GB iPhone XS Max, while a $729 downpayment is required for the 512GB iPhone XS Max.

T-Mobile customers can get an aluminum Apple Watch Series 4 model for $0 down with monthly payments of $20.83 for the 40mm version and $22.08 for the 44mm version. Stainless steel models will require a downpayment of $171.99 (40mm) or $221.99 (44mm) with a monthly payment of $22.

T-Mobile says that its “super well-qualified customers” can pre-order iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max models for $0 down, with the chart above pertaining to “well-qualified customers,” so pricing may vary.

Customers who trade in an eligible iPhone can get up to $300 towards the purchase price of a new iPhone.

AT&T will begin accepting pre-orders for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on September 14. AT&T will also be offering the Apple Watch Series 4 starting on September 14.

AT&T is featuring a countdown to when pre-orders begin on its website, and customers can also sign up to receive an email when pre-orders go live.

Pricing for the iPhone XS starts at $41.63 per month for 24 months using AT&T’s payment installment programs, with options available for 12 or 24 month upgrades.

Pricing for the iPhone XS Max starts at $45.80 per month for 24 months.

Verizon will begin accepting pre-orders for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on September 14.

There is a countdown to pre-orders on the Verizon website, and customers can sign up for email updates.

iPhone XS pricing at Verizon starts at $41.66 per month for 24 months, while iPhone XS Max pricing starts at $45.83 per month for 24 months.

Verizon will be selling the Apple Watch Series 4 for $83.33 per month paid over six months, with the company planning to temporarily waive line charges when a new Apple Watch is activated.

Verizon is offering a promomotion that provides $700 off a second iPhone when purchasing an iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8+, iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max using a Verizon device payment plan and activating a new line of service.

As for trade-ins, Verizon is offering a $100 minimum trade-in with iPhone XS or XS Max purchase.

Sprint will begin accepting pre-orders for the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on September 14.

According to Sprint, Sprint customers can “jump the line” and receive Sprint Priority Status by downloading the MySprint app. Sprint is reserving pre-order spots starting now, allowing customers to save a spot without needing to get up at midnight PT.

Sprint customers are instructed to choose a device and then re-visit the Sprint app by midnight on Saturday, September 15 to place an official order.

Retailers

Best Buy confirmed to MacRumors that it will begin accepting pre-orders for Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T iPhone XS and XS Max models at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on September 14.

Apple Watch Series 4 pre-orders will also be available at the same time.

Target will be offering iPhone XS, XS Max, and Apple Watch Series 4 for sale, and while the website does not list a specific availability time, it’s likely pre-orders will kick off at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time.

Target will have Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint models available for purchase.

Like Target, Walmart is listing the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max as “coming soon,” with no specific availability date listed. Apple Watch Series 4 is also listed as “coming soon.”

We’ve asked Walmart for clarification, but it’s likely pre-orders will begin at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time.

B&H Photo is accepting pre-orders for the Apple Watch Series 4 starting at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday, September 14. Most customers ordering from B&H Photo will not need to pay taxes as taxes are only applicable in New York or New Jersey.

B&H Photo does not sell iPhones and will not have iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max models available.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5, iPhone XSBuyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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Audi’s new e-tron dispenses with physical toll tags via its Integrated Toll Module

Audi USA

Roadway tolls are a bit of an inconvenient necessity. They may cause lots of traffic from slowdowns and bottlenecking. But they are one of the key ways governing bodies tax drivers for using roads while generating a revenue stream to pay for the maintenance of those roadways.

To try and mitigate slowdowns and congestion at toll plazas on major roadways, state highway authorities implemented electronic toll tags. Signing up for these e-tags eliminates the need for drivers to stop at a toll and physically hand over a small sum of cash to pass through without penalty. For those of us on the East Coast and major parts of the Midwest, there’s EZPass, while California has FasTrak, Texas has TxTag, and Florida has SunPass.

Now, Audi wants to take this technological concept even further by integrating electronic toll tag technology in its vehicles, beginning with the up and coming e-tron. Ingolstadt’s finest, in conjunction with Gentex Corporation, recently announced that the all-new Audi e-tron will feature new “integrated toll module technology” when it debuts next week in San Francisco. Officially coined “Integrated Toll Module” or “ITM” by Audi engineers, it’s the latest technology available in terms of vehicle-to-infrastructure connectivity.

Audi’s ITM essentially takes the concept of all the aforementioned electronic and wireless toll tags and integrates that tech into the e-tron itself. The system places a toll transponder into the car’s rear-view mirror. From there, drivers will be able to pair their vehicle with their wireless toll accounts So there’s no more need to mount and deal with physical electronic tag devices on the upper portion of the windshield, or on the front license plate.

Gentex, by the way, is also the company that supplies the brand with automatic-dimming mirrors for all Audi vehicles.

Audi hopes this new “Integrated Toll Module” will make paying for tolls easier for drivers, especially for individuals needing to manage multiple accounts if traveling through more than one state. Additionally, Audi says the system is already compatible with existing toll agencies around the nation and drivers will be able to register a current account without any difficulty.

Wireless connectivity and data communication technologies are some of the latest innovations to surface in the automotive industry. Initially, the technology was intended to get individual cars to “talk” to each other, allowing engineers to utilize vehicle data to provide real-time traffic updates for other drivers while improving road safety. Now, the technology is advancing further as automakers and roadway authorities look for ways to improve road infrastructure.

The all-new Audi e-tron itself is scheduled for a worldly debut in San Francisco next Monday, September 17. It’s anticipated to be an all-electric five-passenger midsize crossover SUV (essentially a Tesla Model X competitor) and is one of three battery-electric vehicles planned for production by 2020. It will be the first vehicle in the company’s portfolio to feature the Integrated Toll Module.

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Air Force goes all James Bond with tiny microphone that attaches to teeth

Forget about microphone-equipped earbuds or those Britney Spears mics rocked by pop stars — when it comes to state-of-the-art microphone systems you don’t need to look any further than the U.S. Department of Defense. As part of a new $10 million deal with Sonitus Technologies, members of the Air Force (and possibly others in the future) will soon be able to communicate using a next-generation miniaturized microphone system that clips to their back teeth.

“In this new era of human-machine communications, we need entirely new types of interfaces, and that’s what we’re delivering with the Molar Mic,” Peter Hadrovic, CEO of Sonitus, told Digital Trends. “Now, modern warfighters and others in the defense community can maintain clear, unbroken communications by moving their personal communications system inside their mouth, providing clear two-way communications with their colleagues while working in even the most severe and challenging environments and situations.”

The Molar Mic incorporates a miniature microphone and receiver in a small mouthpiece that’s designed to easily snap onto a wearer’s back teeth. Using near-field magnetic induction technology, the system converts incoming signals into vibrations that travel from the user’s teeth, through their jawbone, into their auditory nerves in their head. This eliminates the need for earpieces, microphones, or any other loose wires on the head.

The Molar Mic doesn’t just make microphone systems less bulky, however. It also opens up new possibilities for communication where it simply wouldn’t have been feasible using previous technologies. For instance, the Department of Defenses tested the Molar Mic rigorously under a variety of harsh conditions. In one, a pararescue-man was helping airlift an injured civilian into a helicopter hovering directly above. He needed to communicate with his colleagues in the helicopter, and the Molar Mic made it possible to maintain clear communication, even above the sounds of the rotor blades and a major storm in the background.

“The intent of the development contract that the U.S. Department of Defense awarded Sonitus is to field test Molar Mic further, refine it, and then move it on to full production,” Hadrovic continued. “The U.S. Air Force is spearheading this next phase of field test. There’s no hard date on when those tests will be concluded.”

Sadly, customers wanting this kind of tech for consumer purposes are likely to be waiting a bit longer. “We’re dedicated to completing this development phase with the DOD and U.S. Air Force, and won’t be thinking much about moving into commercial markets until we complete this phase,” Hadrovic said.

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The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip can control 6 devices, charge 3 others

For many people, the idea of a smart home is limited by the amount of money it would cost to set up. The idea of spending hundreds of dollars on connected to devices stops people from experimenting. However, there are plenty of ways to turn “dumb” devices into connected devices, and the new Kasa Smart Wi-Fi power strip is the latest one on the market.

This Wi-Fi power strip is exactly what it sounds like: It connects to your Wi-Fi network and gives you the ability to connect to and monitor all devices plugged into the strip. The power strip works with the Kasa Smart mobile app to give users complete control over their devices. For homeowners that want more control over their fire safety, the ability to turn power on and off remotely is a must. It also allows users to monitor the amount of power used by each device, which allows for better control of energy expenditure and a lower utility bill each month.

The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi power strip can control six devices and charge three others at the same time. The three charging ports are all USB ports, which makes them ideal for users with a number of smart devices like phones, tablets, and certain game consoles.

The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi power strip is also compatible with smart artificial intelligence assistants like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Microsoft Cortana. Voice commands can be given to activate and disable specific outlets. Schedules can be set for specific outlets within the power strip to automatically power certain devices throughout the day. The power strip is available for order via Amazon as of Thursday, September 13.

Smart power strips provide a cost-effective way to add smart home technology into your home. You don’t have to upgrade every device you own. Many products like coffee makers and lamps can be programmed to power on and off at a given time through the use of a device like the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi power strip. For people with no prior exposure to smart home technology, a smart power strip is one of the easiest ways and most cost-effective ways to ramp up the intelligence of a home.

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iPhone XS Max vs. iPhone 8 Plus vs. iPhone 7 Plus: The big guys clash

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Plus-sized phones should watch their step — there’s a new super-sized sheriff in town. Apple’s new iPhone XS Max has been revealed, and it’s a huge and powerful phone packed with the latest technological advances. With an enormous 6.5-inch OLED display and the power of the new A12 processor pushing smartphone performance beyond previous limits, the iPhone XS Max is sure to be tempting if you like a large screen.

But it’s never that simple. Though the “Max” moniker was created to surpass the old Plus models, Apple’s been making “Plus” models for years, and so there’s a lot of competition within Apple’s own stables. Which phone wins when the iPhone XS Max, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone 7 Plus go head-to-head, and which should you buy? Let’s take a look.

Specs

iPhone XS Max
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 7 Plus

Size
157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7 mm (6.20 x 3.05 x 0.30 inches)
158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5 mm (6.24 x 3.07 x 0.30 inches)
158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3 mm (6.23 x 3.07 x 0.29 inches)

Weight
208 grams (7.34 ounces)
202 g (7.13 ounces)
188 g (6.63 ounces)

Screen size
6.5-inch Super Retina OLED
5.5-inch IPS LCD
5.5-inch IPS LCD

Screen resolution
2,688 x 1,242 pixels (458 pixels per inch)
1,920 x 1,080 pixels (401 pixels per inch)
1,920 x 1,080 pixels (401 pixels per inch)

Operating system
iOS 12
iOS 12
iOS 12

Storage space
64GB, 256GB, 512GB
64GB, 256GB
32GB, 128GB, 256GB

MicroSD card slot
No
No
No

Tap-to-pay services
Apple Pay
Apple Pay
Apple Pay

Processor
A12 Bionic
A11 Bionic
A10 Fusion

RAM
4GB
3GB
3GB

Camera
Dual 12MP rear (both with OIS), 7MP TrueDepth FaceTime HD front
Dual 12MP rear (both with OIS), 7MP FaceTime HD front
Dual 12MP rear (both with OIS), 7MP FaceTime HD front

Video
2,160p at 60 fps, 1,080p at 240 fps
2,160p at 60 fps, 1,080p at 240 fps
2,160p at 60 fps, 1,080p at 240 fps

Bluetooth version
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth 4.2

Ports
Lightning
Lightning
Lightning

Fingerprint sensor
No, FaceID instead
Yes
Yes

Water resistance
IP68
IP67
IP67

Battery
TBC

Fast charging (fast charger not included)

Qi wireless charging

2,675mAh

Fast charging offers up to 50 percent charge in 30 minutes (fast charger not included)

Qi wireless charging

2,900mAh

App marketplace
Apple App Store
Apple App Store
Apple App Store

Network support
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint
T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint

Colors
Gold, Silver, Space Gray
Gold, Space Gray, Silver
Jet Black, Black, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Red

Price
$1,100
$700
$670

Buy from
Apple
Apple
Apple

Review score
Hands-on review
4 out of 5 stars
4 out of 5 stars

Performance, battery life, and charging

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

The most recent version of the iPhone has always been one of the most powerful smart devices available, and that’s not about to change with the iPhone XS Max. Apple claims the new A12 Bionic processor is up to 40 percent faster than the A11 Bionic in the iPhone 8 Plus. The new Neural Engine in the A12 can handle up to 5 trillion operations per second, and promises to add even more grunt to Apple’s already impressive iPhone performance. There’s very little doubt the A12 is the most powerful processor here, though we don’t really have any complaints about the 8 Plus in terms of performance.

Battery power is a bit closer, though. Each of these phones will last you the day, and though Apple claims the XS Max will last longer than the iPhone X‘s considerable battery life, we need to put it to the test before we can really judge. You’ll only find wireless and fast charging on the XS Max and 8 Plus, though neither of them comes with a fast charger in the box.

There’s still a lot that’s unclear here — but what is clear is that the iPhone XS Max’s processor is stupendously powerful and wipes the floor with the competition.

Winner: iPhone XS Max

Design and durability

• 1.
  iPhone Xs Max
• 2.
  iPhone 8 Plus
• 3.
  iPhone 7 Plus

Apple came in for some criticism for repeating the same design in the iPhone 6, 7, and 8 range. Thankfully, that changed with the iPhone X and all the new iPhones this year sport the newer look. The iPhone XS Max is one of the most beautiful phones on the planet. It ditches the hefty bezels you’ll find on the iPhone 8 Plus and 7 Plus for a sleek, curved design, with glass laid over a high-quality stainless steel frame. It’s clear to us that the iPhone XS Max is the better-looking phone of these three. Apple has managed to pack a screen that’s a full inch bigger into a slightly smaller body by killing those bezels.

Durability paints a slightly different picture. The iPhone XS Max and 8 Plus both come with glass bodies, which means they carryshattering risks not present in the aluminum iPhone 7 Plus. But the iPhone XS Max brings full IP68-rated water-resistance to the table too, further guarding against the negative effects of water immersion. As is now the case with Apple, there’s no headphone jack on any of these phones, and you won’t find a fingerprint sensor on the iPhone XS Max either — it’s been replaced with FaceID.

Despite durability worries with glass and a lack of Touch ID, it’s another clear win for the iPhone XS Max.

Winner: iPhone XS Max

Display

Little changed between the displays on the iPhone 8 Plus and 7 Plus. Both rock great-looking 5.5-inch IPS LCD displays, and while they’re more than good enough, they struggle to compete with the Super Retina OLED display that dominates the iPhone XS Max. It’s a monster, that’s a full inch larger than the other phones’ screens at 6.5-inches. It’s beautiful too, with deep blacks and support for HDR10 and Dolby Vision. With a seamless edge-to-edge design, the XS Max’s OLED screen is leaps and bounds above its predecessors.

While all three have sharp and detailed displays to show off your videos and images, the iPhone XS Max has the objectively better display.

Winner: iPhone XS Max

Camera

Julian Chokkattu / Digital Trends

When read straight off the specs sheet, you’d be forgiven for assuming each of these phones has the same camera, as each sports a rear-facing pair of 12-megapixel lenses. But the devil’s in the details, and Apple has made great advances in its photography with each generation. Thanks to the increased power of the A12 processor, the XS Max is capable of far more software trickery than its predecessors. You can adjust the level of background bokeh blur in your photos — even after the shot has been taken — and the new Smart HDR mode can auto-adjust and compile an HDR photo in milliseconds. We haven’t had much chance to test it yet, but the iPhone XS Max’s camera has already impressed us.

The iPhone XS Max is also equipped with the iPhone X’s TrueDepth selfie camera that enables FaceID unlocking and Animoji support, as well as solid Portrait Mode-style selfies. Video capabilities have also been improved, though it might be harder to see the differences there.

While the iPhone 7 Plus and 8 Plus still possess astoundingly good cameras, the iPhone XS Max’s camera really takes that performance to the next level. It wins comfortably.

Winner: iPhone XS Max

Software and updates

Brenda Stolyar/Digital Trends

Apple is well-known for providing a new version of iOS every year, and keeping older phones up-to-date longer than its competitors. While you can expect the iPhone Xs Max to be updated further into the future, the update schedule still looks bright for both the 8 Plus and 7 Plus. With the older iPhone 6 still receiving updates, you can expect all of these phones to at least get iOS 13, and probably iOS 14 too.

The iPhone XS Max will get these updates for longer, so we’re awarding the win to it — but it doesn’t have much of a lead.

Winner: iPhone XS Max

Special features

Elijah Nouvelage/Getty Images

Many of the iPhone’s special features are built into iOS, so you’ll find similar capabilities on each of these phones — including Apple’s augmented reality platform, ARKit. The advanced processor in the iPhone XS Max will obviously run these features better, but it’ll be much the same in most use cases.

The TrueDepth front-facing camera on the XS Max does offer features like FaceID unlocking and Animoji, and that’s a significant advantage for the new iPhone. Animoji is still fairly niche, but FaceID certainly isn’t — and it wins the iPhone XS Max this round.

Winner: iPhone XS Max

Price

Make sure you’re sitting for this one. Prices for the new iPhone XS Max start at a staggering $1,100. That’s a huge chunk of change for a phone, and it’ll only go up for the models with larger storage. It’ll be available from September 21, with pre-orders starting September 14.

The release of the new iPhone range has come with discounts for the older models. You’ll be able to pick up the iPhone 8 Plus from $700, while the iPhone 7 Plus starts at $670.

As with most modern iPhones, each of these models will work on most major U.S. carriers.

Overall winner: iPhone XS Max

It’s an unsurprising win for the new iPhone XS Max. With a more powerful processor, drop-dead gorgeous design, and a stunning camera, the iPhone XS Max is going to be one of the phones to beat for the next year. But just because it’s the best of this three doesn’t mean it’s the best for you. The iPhone 8 Plus and 7 Plus still offer rock-solid performance, strong cameras, and Apple’s latest iOS 12. Even without the stunning new design, both of these phones are great choices — especially with the discounts Apple is offering.

If you want the best of the best and biggest Apple screens, then go for the iPhone XS Max. But if you’re not too worried about the older design and losing out on the latest hardware advances, check out the solid performance offered by the cheaper iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus. Whichever you pick, we wager you’ll be happy with your new phone.

Editors’ Recommendations

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Watch a robot create amazing string art portraits with thousands of feet of yarn

String art is one of those deceptively simple things: Crisscross string back and forth between tiny nails hammered into a board until they form a recognizable image. At the simplest levels, it’s possible to create attractive geometric patterns. If you’re more expert, you can create full-on detailed portraits. It’s a challenging process that takes a whole lot of time, and a massive amount of human skill — until now, that is.

That’s thanks to researchers from TU Wein, one of the major universities in Vienna, Austria. They have created an algorithm that allows an industrial robot to create these images for itself. Just show it any arbitrary image, and the robot will then figure out the optimal thread path to accurately re-create it in thread art form.

“Our framework takes an image as input and delivers a fabricated piece of string art as output,” Michael Birsak, one of the researchers on the project, told Digital Trends. “The main goal is to reassemble the given image as accurately as possible using one continuous piece of textile thread. In our setup, we use an aluminum bicycle rim for the frame, together with 256 pins. While it is quite easy to create a simple geometric pattern by spanning the thread between the pins, reassembling the portrait of a person is particularly difficult because it is not possible to address the single pixels of the input image by moving the thread around. Therefore, the goal is to find a good approximation. One could naively try out all possible combinations, but this would take forever, since with 256 pins, there are more combinations than atoms in the universe.”

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The algorithm takes several hours to work out its solution and then another few hours to create it — since each portrait can consist of up to 19.6 thousand feet of thread. Completed portraits include a picture of a cat, a portrait of Albert Einstein, and an image of pioneering programmer Ada Lovelace.

While there have been some tremendous examples of computation creativity we’ve covered in the past, Birsak said the aspect of the project the team was most excited about was crafting an optimal routing algorithm. This is the kind of thing more commonly associated with problems like finding the most efficient order to deliver packages or dispatch taxis. “Our main goal was not to produce art, but to focus on the mathematical challenges of the problem and how it can be solved in a scientific way,” he said.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Computer Graphics Forum.

Editors’ Recommendations

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Watch a robot create amazing string art portraits with thousands of feet of yarn

String art is one of those deceptively simple things: Crisscross string back and forth between tiny nails hammered into a board until they form a recognizable image. At the simplest levels, it’s possible to create attractive geometric patterns. If you’re more expert, you can create full-on detailed portraits. It’s a challenging process that takes a whole lot of time, and a massive amount of human skill — until now, that is.

That’s thanks to researchers from TU Wein, one of the major universities in Vienna, Austria. They have created an algorithm that allows an industrial robot to create these images for itself. Just show it any arbitrary image, and the robot will then figure out the optimal thread path to accurately re-create it in thread art form.

“Our framework takes an image as input and delivers a fabricated piece of string art as output,” Michael Birsak, one of the researchers on the project, told Digital Trends. “The main goal is to reassemble the given image as accurately as possible using one continuous piece of textile thread. In our setup, we use an aluminum bicycle rim for the frame, together with 256 pins. While it is quite easy to create a simple geometric pattern by spanning the thread between the pins, reassembling the portrait of a person is particularly difficult because it is not possible to address the single pixels of the input image by moving the thread around. Therefore, the goal is to find a good approximation. One could naively try out all possible combinations, but this would take forever, since with 256 pins, there are more combinations than atoms in the universe.”

Previous

Next

1 of 4

The algorithm takes several hours to work out its solution and then another few hours to create it — since each portrait can consist of up to 19.6 thousand feet of thread. Completed portraits include a picture of a cat, a portrait of Albert Einstein, and an image of pioneering programmer Ada Lovelace.

While there have been some tremendous examples of computation creativity we’ve covered in the past, Birsak said the aspect of the project the team was most excited about was crafting an optimal routing algorithm. This is the kind of thing more commonly associated with problems like finding the most efficient order to deliver packages or dispatch taxis. “Our main goal was not to produce art, but to focus on the mathematical challenges of the problem and how it can be solved in a scientific way,” he said.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Computer Graphics Forum.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 Art review
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• Photo FOMO: Adobe’s slick Hollywood editing suite, IGTV’s test for teasers

A.I.-powered Grammarly comes to Google Docs to improve your writing

Grammarly

Earlier this summer, Google announced that it is leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to help you write better in Google Docs, and now the grammar check tool is getting some competition. Grammarly, a popular grammar check service, announced that it is bringing its grammar checking tool — available initially as a beta — to Google Docs via a browser extension.

“Grammarly wants to be a part of everything you write,” the company announced in a blog post. “While many of our users type their important documents in a word processor, we know that Google Docs is where some of the most collaborative work gets done. That’s why we’re starting to release a beta version of Grammarly for Chrome in Google Docs to all users!”

The extension, for now, will only be available to users on Chrome, so you won’t be able to access Grammarly’s service in Google Docs on other browsers. The company said that it may take some time for the service to become available for all users, and that it is rolling out the extension gradually over the next month.

While all Chrome users will be able to download the Grammarly for Chrome extension immediately as a free download through the Chrome web store, it may take some time to be accepted into Grammarly’s beta program for Google Docs. After the extension is installed, if you’ve been granted access into the beta, you’ll see a popup letting you know that Grammarly is working once you open Google Docs.

With Grammarly installed, you can take advantage of the service’s grammar suggestions as you type. When you begin typing out a letter, memorandum, or report, you’ll notice red underlines in your text in places where Grammarly thinks you may have used improper grammar rules or sentence structures. Similar to how Grammarly works on other products, these red underlines represents suggestions for corrections. You’ll be able to accept Grammarly’s suggestion by hovering over each red underline.

Like Google’s built-in A.I.-powered grammar checker for Google Docs, Grammarly’s extension and service relies on artificial intelligence to suggest corrections as you type. “Grammarly’s products are powered by an advanced system that combines rules, patterns, and artificial intelligence techniques like machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing to improve your writing,” the company said. “Grammarly’s A.I. system combines machine learning with a variety of natural language processing approaches.”

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How to cancel your digital pre-order for a PlayStation 4 game

Canceling is easy, depending on your method of payment.

While we all love the ability to pre-order our favorite video games, sometimes the world gets in the way. With games like Spider-Man, Tomb Raider, and the new Assasins Creed just over the horizon, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and spend your money before you actually have it.

I am going to take you through the options you have for canceling your pre-order through the PlayStation Store. It is fairly simple but the rules change depending on how and when you paid for your pre-order so there are a few different ways to tackle the problem.

A Note: Make sure you turn off your auto download settings if you are unsure about keeping your pre-orders. Things get a lot harder to cancel if you have already downloaded the main content to your console even if it hasn’t activated or you haven’t played it.

Pre-ordered but not paid.

Sony calls this Pay Later, and while it used to be fairly common in brick and mortar stores it happens far less with online purchases. Fortunately, if you do have one of these pre-orders canceling it is quick and easy. All you have to do is find the pre-order in your Transaction History and, providing the money hasn’t come out — they normally take the money two days before the game releases — you can refund the amount back to your wallet. Here is a step by step for you to make it easy.

Go to the Account Management section of the PlayStation Store website
Choose the Transaction History tab in the Accounts window
Find the title you want to cancel
Press the cancel button at least two days before the release date

Now if you used the Pay Later method but want to cancel it after the payment is made your only choice is to contact Sony and ask them to refund it, but they aren’t under any obligation to do so.

Pre-Ordered but Paid

Ok, this is a little more tricky. Because Sony makes you top up a wallet instead of taking your money directly there are more hoops to jump through to get your money back. As with most purchases, you do get a 14 day grace period to get your money back but you will only get the money refunded to your wallet.

Anytime up to the release date and at a maximum of 14 days after the release date — and as long as you haven’t actually downloaded the game — you can ask for a refund from Sony and they will refund the money to you, but likely only to your wallet, not to the card you used to make the purchase. Unfortunately, there is no simple way to do this, you have to contact Sony and ask them to cancel it for you, there are no quick buttons.

Important You can only get a refund if you have not downloaded the main content. If you have downloaded extras like themes that’s ok, Sony will just stop them working on your machine after the refund, but if you download the main title even on a pre-load you cannot get a refund.

Final Thoughts

This system is pretty bad. If you do decide you no longer want your pre-order you have to jump through hoops to get your money back and that’s not ok, especially when you are pre-ordering a digital copy of a game. It isn’t like they have printed a copy of the game because you pre-ordered it but big companies don’t like to let go of money.

What are your thoughts on this? Have you had problems with pre-order cancellations or is it not a big deal for you?Let me know in the comments.

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