Earlier this year, Nothing released a pair of relatively cheap $99 Ear 1 earbuds with a fun transparent case, wireless charging and decent sound quality. Now, the company (created by OnePlus cofounder Carl Pei) has unveiled the new Ear 1 "Black Edition" that retains the transparent case and funky design, but adds a smoky finish and black matte colorway. Nothing also announced that the Ear 1 is now carbon neutral, and that it will start accepting Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies in select countries, including the USA. 

Nothing

Other than the color change, the Ear 1 Black Edition has the same features of the original, like active noise cancellation, a wireless charging case and a transparent design that harkens back to gadgets like the iMac from the late '90s. They feature an 11.6mm driver paired with software and hardware from Teenage Engineering, and we found that they deliver decent, clear sound quality, especially in mid-range frequencies, but have no spatial options. 

Nothing was launched by Carl Pei after he acquired the branding and logos from Essential, the smartphone company founded by Andy Rubin. The Ear 1 buds are the company's first product, but it plans to launch "an ecosystem of smart devices" down the road, according to Pei. 

Nothing plans to sell 100 individually engraved versions of the Ear 1 Black Edition at a popup store in London, with the buds going arriving nothing.tech starting at 6AM ET on December 13th, for the same $100 price as the original. On top of cash, the company will accept Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), USD Coin (USDC) and Dogecoin (DOGE). 

Xbox video game clips are about to become much more easily shareable via unique public URLs on the Xbox mobile app, according to a tweet from Microsoft's Larry Hryb (@majornelson). Those links will also be collected into a new "trending content" area so you can see what others are doing. The features are now being tested in the app and will "soon' roll out to all users, Hryb said. 

"With Link sharing, just go to the capture you want to share in the Xbox mobile app to get a link, then paste it anywhere to share with your friends, who don't need to be signed-in to view your capture. We are now testing this long requested feature," Hryb said in the thread.

According to images shared by Hryb, the trending content section is a new social media-type site on iOS and Android kinds of resembles (wait for it) TikTok's feed — somewhat of a trend lately. Clicking on it opens up highlights that you can scroll through and then like, comment and share (top). 

Microsoft already offers the ability to share game clips and screenshots via your profile's activity feed, clubs, messages and social media, on consoles as well as the mobile app. Sony also recently unveiled a similar feature on the PlayStation 5. However, letting you generate public links should make it more seamless, and Microsoft is making it more accessible with the social media aspect. The company has been testing the feature with developers, but you should see the feature in the near future.

As he showed with the Flamethrower, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has a knack for selling weird gadgets that often have little to do with the company's main business. The latest example is a $50 "Cyberwhistle," a collectible whistle in the form of Tesla's Cybertruck, and it's already sold out.

$50 is a lot for a whistle, though it is a nice-looking whistle that at least has some relation to Tesla — unlike the Boring Co.'s Not a Flamethrower. "Inspired by Cybertruck, the limited-edition Cyberwhistle is a premium collectible made from medical-grade stainless steel with a polished finish. The whistle includes an integrated attachment feature for added versatility," the description states. 

I imagine it takes a bit of time to design a truck-shaped whistle, so it's likely that Tesla has been planning to sell it for awhile as a temporary product — much like the $1,500 Tesla-branded surfboard. Musk might hav seen the $19 Apple Cloth, though, and sensed a solid marketing angle. "Don't waste your money on that silly Apple Cloth, buy our whistle instead," he tweeted. 

It appears to have worked, as the Cyberwhistle sold out just hours after going on sale. It looks like Tesla will restock it at some point, though, according to the Tesla store description. As for the Cybertruck itself, Tesla supposedly has over a million reservations, but its release was quietly delayed to 2022.

DJI’s Mavic 3 created early buzz when a leak suggested it would have a large 4/3 sensor and dual camera system, along with an incredible 46 minutes of range. However, potential buyers were also shocked to learn that it has a $2,200 starting price, compared to $1,449 for the Mavic 2 Pro. And that goes way up to $5,000 if you want advanced features like ProRes HQ video.

Early footage shows that the camera is indeed impressive and the 50 percent extra flight time is extremely useful. Buyers have also complained, though, about the price, overly basic Fly app and features like ActiveTrack 5 that won’t be available until a January 2022 update.

I wanted to find out if it was worth that kind of money, particularly if you already have a Mavic 2 Pro. I’ve had the standard model for a couple of weeks and have been testing it around the French countryside with a licensed drone pilot, Samuel Dejours. Here’s what we found out.

Steve Dent/Engadget

As I mentioned, there are two versions of the DJI Mavic 3: The standard model and the Cine. Both have identical cameras and drones, but the Mavic 3 Cine has a built-in 1TB SSD, MicroSD slot and Apple ProRes 422 HQ video support. It also comes with the screen-equipped RC Pro remote, while the standard model includes the more basic RC-N1 that requires a smartphone.

ProRes 422 HQ is desirable for professional film shoots, because it delivers higher image quality and better color fidelity, especially for detailed scenes. The drawback is that it takes up a lot more space, using 1GB for around 10 seconds of video, for a total SSD record time of 167 minutes. The only way to get that footage off the drone is via the USB-C Thunderbolt port and supplied cable, but it can transfer at speeds very quickly, at up to 700MB/s.

The Cine model comes in a bundle with three batteries, a carrying bag, two sets of ND filters and more. As mentioned, it also costs $5,000, so you’d need a good reason to have those features. Since the Cine is aimed more at professional filmmakers, we tested the standard model in the $3,000 Fly More Combo. That includes three batteries, a charging hub, one set of ND filters and a nice carrying bag that converts into a backpack. It’s equipped with a MicroSD slot and 8GB of storage that’s only really useful for emergencies

Much like the Air 2S, the Mavic 3 folds into a compact, easy-to-carry size. It weighs 899 grams with a battery, slightly under the 907 gram weight of the Mavic 2 Pro. It has a slightly larger wingspan, as the arms are a hair longer to accommodate the bigger propellers.

Steve Dent/Engadget

Because of the dual camera system and larger main camera sensor, the camera module is bigger too. As a result, it protrudes a bit beyond the drone body, leaving it more exposed to damage in a crash.

The camera module itself no longer pans like the Mavic 2 Pro’s camera, so all panning must be done by moving the drone. However, it now tilts up 30 degrees, which can come in very handy for certain types of shoots, inspection work and so on. The camera locks when the drone is turned off, and is protected by a harness that my colleague jokingly called a bondage mask.

The Mavic 3’s battery is much larger than the one on the Mavic 2 Pro, at 5,000 mAh compared to 3,850 mAh. That, along with some aerodynamic tweaks, gives it a 50 percent boost in range from 31 to 46 minutes — a huge and incredibly useful gain. The 65-watt charger, now powered by USB-C, can juice up a battery in about an hour and 50 minutes.

Steve Dent/Engadget

DJI notes that flight time is 46 minutes with a hover time of 40 minutes. As you might expect, though, that depends heavily on the outside temperature and how you operate it. In sunny skies and lowish 47 degree F (8 degree C) temperatures, with a mix of sport, cinema and normal flying, we were easily getting about 35 minutes of range. That’s really good, and as a result, Samuel didn’t feel the need to rush as he sometimes does with his Air 2S or FPV. And those numbers should be considerably higher in the summertime.

Now, let’s get to the cameras. The primary camera was built by DJI in collaboration with Hasselblad and features a 24 mm f/2.8-f/11 lens and 4/3 sensor. For reference, that’s a third bigger than the one-inch sensor on the Mavic 2 Pro and the same size as Panasonic’s mirrorless GH5 II camera sensor, for instance.

The video specs are nearly as impressive as the GH5 II, as well. It can shoot 5.1K at 50 fps or 4K at 60 fps using the entire width of the sensor, yielding sharp, supersampled video. You can also shoot 4K at 120 fs if you don’t mind cropping of about 50 percent. That won’t be a big deal for most people, as 4K 120fps footage is extremely useful on a drone for action, wildlife, moving water and so on.

The larger sensor also delivers better low light performance, more detail, improved dynamic range and a more cinematic look in general. At the same time, the variable f/2.8 to f/11 aperture makes the camera more flexible in different lighting conditions. If you shoot in really bright sunlight a lot, however, I’d recommend getting the neutral density filter kit.

Shooting at ISO 1600 and 3200, we got clean footage with some noise in shadows and dark areas. However, the noise is well controlled and organic, so it’s not bothersome and can be tamped down with some mild noise reduction. Noise levels start to get excessive at ISO 6400, but that setting is still usable for night scenes if you don’t need a lot of shadow detail.

DJI boosted the H.264 data rate significantly from 100 Mbps to 200 Mbps, and introduced H.265 capture at up to 140 Mbps. That’s an important update, as aerial footage captured by drones can have detail that confounds long-GOP (MP4) compression. As a result, quality is improved under most circumstances, and noticeably so for detailed shots.

That begs the question of whether you even need the ProRes option and 1TB SSD, considering the high price difference. I’d say that it’s a valuable feature for broadcast shooters, as it pushes the drone into professional territory. For others like YouTubers or industrial users, the H.264 quality is easily good enough.

Samuel Dejours/Engadget

The Mavic 3 uses Hasselblad’s color profile that’s supposed to deliver accurate hues. In general, it performed well across the color spectrum, whether we were shooting in cities, coastlines or countryside. Skin tones are warm, and while you might not think that’s terribly important for a drone, the Mavic 3 could see a lot of use in weddings, documentaries and even movies. It’s so smooth that it can replace a crane or dolly for certain shots.

To max out dynamic range and editing flexibility, you can shoot 10-bit D-Log footage. Shooting directly into the sun and other tricky situations, I found that it allowed me to retain dynamic range and bring out extra detail in highlights and shadows.

One of the key new features of the Mavic 3 is the 162mm equivalent telephoto camera with a half-inch sensor. I’ve seen some confusion about zooming on the Mavic 3, so here’s how it works.

Samuel Dejours/Engadget

The main camera with no digital zoom is equivalent to a 24mm full-frame lens, or what DJI calls a 1X zoom. To zoom in further, you flip the drone into explorer mode on the Fly app. From there, you can either select discreet zoom settings (1X, 2X, 4X, 7X, 14X and 28X) or use a slider for in-between settings. Zooming up to four times is done digitally with the main camera, but the 4X zoom is very pixelated and not usable for any production work.

The 161mm, 12-megapixel f/4.4 telephoto camera kicks in at a 7X zoom, offering 4K video at up to 30 fps. It can digitally zoom up to 28X, but again, quality suffers. For the best-looking footage, you’ll need to stay between a 1X and 2X zoom, or go up to 7X exactly.

The Mavic 2 (not pro), by contrast, has a 28mm lens with a 2X zoom. The Mavic 3’s 7X zoom is more extreme, but does open up some interesting creative possibilities. However, the optical quality on that camera isn’t amazing given the smallish sensor size. In terms of professional use, then, it has limited value.

Samuel Dejours/Engadget

On the subject of JPEGs, it’s also a solid photo drone. I was a bit disappointed when I heard that the Mavic 3 had the same 20-megapixel sensor and less dynamic range than the Mavic 2 Pro (12.8 stops compared to 14 stops claimed). However, the larger pixels more than make up for that with improved light sensitivity and lower noise levels.

That said, you’ll want to make sure your footage is properly exposed. The Mavic 3 generally nails the exposure in automatic shooting modes, but it can get tripped up if you’re shooting into the sun. It helps to shoot using RAW DNG files, which give you much more latitude to adjust images in Lightroom.

Photo quality using the telephoto lens was better than the video quality, delivering crisp photos with good color accuracy, but with one key caveat. You can only shoot JPEGs and not RAW files, which limits your ability to adjust shots in post. Again, that makes the telephoto lens less useful for professionals. On the other hand, it could be extremely handy for other types of work, like inspections, search and rescue, bird spotting and so on.

Steve Dent/Engadget

The Mavic 3 is DJI’s easiest drone to fly, thanks to improved obstacle avoidance, and other features. It offers three flying modes: Cine, a slow flight mode for capturing smooth footage, Normal and Sport, the fastest setting.

The Mavic 3 works with DJI’s simplified Fly app, rather than the Go 4 app used with the Mavic 2 Pro. Camera settings like shutter, ISO, video resolution and so on are adjusted on the main flying screen at the bottom right. The record button and various video/photo settings (QuickShot, Hyperlapse, etc.) are found on the right side. For more advanced settings like Safety, Control, Cameras and Transmission, you have to dive into the three dot menu.

Once you fire up the app and connect your smartphone to the RC-N1 controller, you’re ready to turn on the drone. It plays a jaunty three-note tune on startup and is ready to go in less time than the Mavic Air 2S or 2 Pro.

When you take off, it remembers your home position for the RTH (return to home function). It maneuvers flawlessly, helping pilots easily capture smooth footage under manual control. It’s not quieter than the Mavic 2 or 2 Pro, but it has a slightly lower tone that’s less likely to disturb people or wildlife.

Steve Dent/Engadget

It’s also faster, hitting speeds of up to 42 MPH in sport mode. Just remember that obstacle avoidance is disabled in that mode, so you’ll need to be careful to avoid (high-speed) crashes.

The Mavic 3 is covered with omni-directional sensors on the front, back, top and bottom. The app shows potential obstacles to help you avoid them, while the APAS 5 system lets you program the Mavic 3 to either stop when it encounters an obstacle or go around it.

We ran it through a gauntlet of hazards, including gnarly trees, power lines and more. It either stopped or dodged them, depending on the option we set. It did skim a leaf once while descending in RTH mode, though it didn’t phase the drone. However, it could indicate potential issues with the lower sensor array of the drone. The obstacle avoidance feature can be disabled in all modes, if you dare.

Steve Dent/Engadget

The RTH feature brings the drone back when the battery runs low, choosing the most efficient route possible. We found that it worked in all circumstances, even around tricky terrain and from miles away. The only drawback is that it doesn’t bring the drone back at a great speed, so many pilots may prefer to return manually in normal or sport mode.

One key feature that’s unfortunately not coming until January is ActiveTrack 5. As with DJI’s previous tracking systems, it’s designed to follow you around while you bike, windsurf and do other activities. The latest version is designed to track subjects no matter which way they’re moving and continue tracking even if they move out of frame. As this is an important feature, I may update this review later once I get a hold of it.

Other missing features include QuickShots to do fancy camera maneuvers like circles and boomerangs, along with MasterShots, designed to produce quick video clips for social media users. It also lacks the popular Panorama mode to create stitched photos, and QuickTransfer for rapid WiFi video and photo transfers. 

This missing features aren't ideal, but delaying them at least allowed DJI to release the drone. Cameras from Sony, Canon and others often have key features added after the fact with firmware updates, so DJI isn't alone in doing this. Buyers will likely forgive the delays, but only if the updates arrive in January as promised.  

Steve Dent/Engadget

With its starting $2,200 price tag, the Mavic 3 is designed to take great videos and photos for professional and prosumer users. It strongly delivers in that regard, thanks to the pro-level sensor that delivers stunning image quality, along with stabilization that allows for insanely smooth shots. The ProRes video and 1TB internal SSD are also huge features for pro shooters.

It’s not perfect, though. Those same users may find the telephoto camera to be somewhat useless because it doesn’t deliver even close to the same level of quality as the main camera. They may also wonder why the standard model comes with a basic controller and limited Fly app, considering the relatively high price. The missing features like ActiveTrack 5 are a bummer, but once they arrive, everyone will quickly forget that they weren’t there at launch.

In terms of competition, DJI doesn’t have any peers when it comes to image quality (its tagline for the Mavic 3 is “Imaging Above Everything”). In other words, it’s laser-focused on cameras, as it recently showed with its crazy, amazing Ronin 4D. Other companies like Skydio, however, arguably offer better flying drones with superior obstacle avoidance.

Should these factors impact your buying decision? I’ll leave the final word to Samuel, the professional photographer and certified pilot who owns multiple DJI drones and assisted in this review.

“I am definitely interested in buying it, because it has a sensor that’s larger and performs at a high level so it’s a big step up in terms of image quality. The extra battery life also makes planning easier, and the drone is extremely stable, even in wind, so you feel like you have a ‘tripod in the sky.’ It has some flaws for sure, but for me, those are outweighed by the image quality benefits.”

A patient has been fitted with a highly realistic 3D printed prosthetic eye for the first time ever, Fraunhofer Technology has announced. Patient Steve Verze received the high-tech version as a permanent replacement for his traditional prosthetic eye. "It makes me feel more and more confident," he told On Demand News. "If I can't spot the difference, I know other people won't spot the difference." 

Fraunhofer worked with British company Ocupeye Ltd on a new process that's faster and far less invasive. Previously, doctors would need to make a mold of the eye socket, something that's so difficult for kids that they need to go under a general anesthetic. 

Now, the team can do a non-invasive 2.4-second scan using a specially modified ophthalmic scanner that delivers a precise measurement of the eye socket. That data is combined with a color-calibrated image of the healthy eye and transferred over Fraunhofer's "Cuttlefish:Eye" system, which rapidly creates a 3D print model. The software is particularly apt at making a "realistic representation of even transparent materials," according to Fraunhofer. 

The model is then printed out by a company called Fit AG which has experience in additive manufacturing for medical technology. From there, the prostheses are inspected and given a final polish and touchup by ocularists. "With a single 3D printer, Ocupeye can potentially fulfil the annual requirement of around 10,000 prostheses required for the UK market," according to the press release. 

Verze's prosthetic is a precursor to a forthcoming clinical trial that will evaluate the effectiveness of 3D printed eyes vs. traditional, hand-made eyes, according to University College London. Around 40 patients will be recruited two assess the prostheses for motility (movement), cosmesis (look), fit, comfort, mucous discharge and more. "This new eye looks fantastic and, being based on 3D digital printing technology, it’s only going to be better and better," Verze said in a statement. 

YouTube Gaming has been aggressively luring Twitch creators to its platform, and the latest to defect is "Ludwig" Ahgren. Ludwig is perhaps best known for his marathon streaming session that allowed him to break the Twitch all-time subscriber record held by Ninja, eventually hitting 283,066 all-time active subs.

Ludwig broke the news in an amusing Twitter video that showed him driving with his manager "Slime" in a purple car that eventually explodes after they get out. He then jumps into a red model, driving home the point that he's leaving team purple for team red. "It's pretty much the same one," says Slime. "Yeah, it's just like a different color," Ludwig replies. ("We actually blew up a car and one-take-jaked it," Slime tweeted separately.) 

In a reply on Twitter, Twitch said "You're a mogul in every sense, Ludwig. Best of luck and keep doing big things out there. However, the site has been bleeding talent to its rival of late. Ludwig's departure follows recent moves to YouTube Gaming by Benjamin Lupo ("DrLupo") and TimTheTatMan (Tim Betar), along with previous defections by big-name streamers Lannan "LazarBeam" Eacott, Elliott "Muselk" Watkins and Rachell "Valkyrae" Hofstetter. Jack "CouRage" Dunlop also jumped ship in 2019. 

In a separate video explaining the move, Ludwig said that he first spoke to YouTube gaming as "leverage" but planned to stay with Twitch "because I'm a Twitch guy." However, he later realized that YouTube made more sense, in part because he wants to produce content like Mogul Money on top of game react videos. 

He also noted that if he had stayed with Twitch, "I would have to be grinding hours," and that "I loved Twitch, but it wasn't necessarily a two-way street." Finally, he said that while the change wasn't necessarily about money, "YouTube offered me more money. Straight up."

As rumored, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has ordered Meta (Facebook) to sell Giphy, saying the deal "could harm social media users and UK advertisers." It found that the deal would boost Meta's already prodigious market power by limiting other platforms' access to Giphy GIFs, "driving more traffic to Facebook owned sites — Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram." 

The CMA said that Meta's sites dominated social media user time to the tune of 73 percent and that it could further muscle out rivals like TikTok, Twitter and Snapchat by leveraging Giphy. It added that prior to the merger, Giphy launched "innovative advertising services" used by brands like Dunkin' Donuts and Pepsi that it could have brought to the UK. 

"Facebook terminated Giphy’s advertising services at the time of the merger, removing an important source of potential competition," the regulator wrote. "The CMA considers this particularly concerning given that Facebook controls nearly half of the £7 billion display advertising market in the UK."

We disagree with this decision. We are reviewing the decision and considering all options, including appeal.

Facebook purchased Giphy in May of 2020, reportedly for $400 million, with the aim of integrating it into Instagram. A month later, the CMA launched an investigation into the deal and ruled in August that Facebook could stop rivals like TikTok and Snapchat from accessing Giphy's GIF library. At the same time, it said the deal could remove potential UK display advertising competitors after Meta ended Giphy's paid ad partnerships. 

Meta previously said that the CMA had no jurisdiction because Giphy has no operations in the UK, adding that Giphy's paid services weren't display advertising by the CMA's definition. In October, the authority fined Meta $70 million for breaking rules related to the deal by refusing to report required information and changing its chief compliance officer twice without permission. 

The CMA said that after consulting with interested businesses and organizations, it "has concluded that its competition concerns can only be addressed by Facebook selling Giphy in its entirety to an approved buyer." It's not clear how this would be done, however.  

"We disagree with this decision. We are reviewing the decision and considering all options, including appeal. Both consumers and Giphy are better off with the support of our infrastructure, talent, and resource," a Meta spokesperson told Engadget in a statement. "Together, Meta and Giphy would enhance Giphy’s product for the millions of people, businesses, developers and API partners in the UK and around the world who use Giphy every day, providing more choices for everyone."

The UK's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has provisionally fined the facial recognition company Clearview AI £17 million ($22.6 million) for breaching UK data protection laws. It said that Clearview allegedly failed to inform citizens that it was collecting billions of their photos, among other transgressions. It has also (again, provisionally) ordered it to stop further processing of residents' personal data.

The regulator said that Clearview apparently failed to process people's data "in a way that they likely expect or that is fair." It also alleged that the company failed to have a lawful reason to collect the data, didn't meet GDPR standards for biometric data, failed to have a process that prevents data from being retained indefinitely and failed to inform UK residents what was happening to their data.

The ICO noted that Clearview's services were used on a free trial basis by a number of UK law enforcement agencies, "but that this trial was discontinued and Clearview AI Inc’s services are no longer being offered in the UK."

The images in Clearview AI Inc’s database are likely to include the data of a substantial number of people from the UK and may have been gathered without people’s knowledge from publicly available information online, including social media platforms.

The UK and Australia opened up a joint investigation of Clearview AI last year. Regulators were concerned with Clearview's practice of scraping data and gathering photos from social media site like Facebook. It sells that data to law enforcement agencies, purportedly allowing them to identify criminals or victims. However, the company's business practices have raised numerous privacy concerns. 

Clearview AI said it was considering an appeal, according to The New York Times. "[Clearview only] provides publicly available information from the internet to law enforcement agencies," said company lawyer Kelly Hagedorn in a statement. "My company and I have acted in the best interests of the UK and their people by assisting law enforcement in solving heinous crimes against children, seniors and other victims of unscrupulous acts," added Clearview AI chief executive Hoan Ton-That in a separate statement.

Earlier this month, Australia's regular issued a similar ruling, saying Clearview AI breached the privacy of residents by scraping their biometric information. The country's regulator, the OAIC, ordered Clearview to "cease collecting facial images and biometric templates from individuals in Australia and destroy all facial images and biometric templates collected."  

In the US, the ACLU recently sued Clearview for violating Illinois state laws. Twitter, Google and YouTube have all sent cease-and-desist letters to the company, alleging that it violates their terms of service. Facebook has also demanded that Clearview stop scraping its data. 

The fine would be the first Clearview has faced, the company told the NYT. It can still contest the ruling with the Commissioner, so the fine and enforcement "may be subject to change," the ICO wrote. The ICO expects to make a final decision by mid-2022.

After launching into pre-season earlier this month, the mobile game Rocket League Sideswipe is rolling out to iOS and Android users around the world, 9to5Mac has reported. The side-scrolling car soccer game was unveiled earlier this year as a mobile, 2D version of Rocket League that lets you play solo or team with friends for two vs. two matches.  

Like the original, Sideswipe is all about that car soccer life, but with a 2D side-on instead of a 3D view. It uses touch controls designed to be easy to master, with advanced control mechanics available for better players. Like the original, there's a ranking system and numerous car customization options. The game is free on mobile, with in-app purchases for Rocket Pass and cosmetics. 

As with the pre-season trailer, the official gameplay video brings a similar look and feels as the original but adapted for simpler mobile play. Logging in with an Epic Games account for online matches will let you earn extra XP across both the regular Rocket League game and Sideswipe. The game launched in pre-season in Oceania to shake out any bugs, but it's now available to everyone on the iOS App Store and Google Play. 

The British Fashion Council (BFC) has handed out an award in a brand new category called Metaverse Design created in collaboration with Roblox. Five Roblox creators were nominated, with the in-app clothing store cSapphire coming out the winner. 

The presentation of the award will play out inside a Roblox experience (from November 29th until December 7th 2021), with a virtual representation of Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele (above) doing the honors. If you're interested in watching, you'll be able to do so inside a virtual Roblox recreation of Albert Hall — and even roleplay as a high-profile red carpet guest. 

Companies like Roblox have been doing a metaverse long before Facebook decided to jump in. With the award, the BFC has acknowledged that virtual spaces can be a fun way for both consumers and designers to explore fashion ideas. Roblox previously worked with Gucci on a collection, and we've seen labels like Moncler Louis Vuitton inside Fortnite and other games. 

It's a fun addition to the show, but the BFC is taking it fairly seriously. The Metaverse judging panel includes some high-profile folks, including fashion model Karlie Kloss along with editors from fashion sites and magazines like W and Highsnobiety.

"By awarding the platform’s creators, we are recognizing the powerful global impact of digital fashion on communities around the world, its ability to create new trends in fashion, as well as the incredible opportunities it provides for talented young creators," said BFC chief executive Caroline Rush in a statement.