Major movie critics were allowed to see James Cameron’s Avatar in England yesterday with orders not to publish their reviews until next Monday. Funny thing about embargoes: once one site breaks it, the rest fall in line, and we can thank the Hollywood Reporter for jumping the gun and opening the floodgates.

So what’s the word? Is Avatar a $400-million piece of crap? The second coming of cinema?

Variety:

The King of the World sets his sights on creating another world entirely in “Avatar,” and it’s very much a place worth visiting.  Cameron delivers again with a film of universal appeal that just about everyone who ever goes to the movies will need to see.

Hollywood Reporter:

A dozen years later, James Cameron has proven his point: He is king of the world. … he brings science-fiction movies into the 21st century with the jaw-dropping wonder that is “Avatar.” … The movie is 161 minutes and flies by in a rush. Repeat business? You bet.

Times UK:

Avatar is an overwhelming, immersive spectacle. The state-of-the-art 3D technology draws us in, but it is the vivid weirdness of Cameron’s luridly imagined tropical otherworld that keeps us fascinated.

Screen International:

An epic film born entirely of Cameron’s imagination, Avatar uses tailor-made technology to create the most astonishing visual effects yet seen on screen and blends them seamlessly into a mythical sci-fi story.

Total Film:

Game-changing – yes. Spectacular – absolutely. Occasional dodgy dialogue and dramatic imperfections – of course. But still – wait for it – a titanic achievement.

Yesterday Logitech announced that this November it would be coming out with another keyboard aimed at the gaming market, in just enough time for it to land on holiday wishlists. Called the G110, it’s meant to replace the original G11 so Logitech is trying to keep it affordable while at the same making sure  it has the looks and enough features that you can still hold your head high at LAN parties.

Now we haven’t gotten are hands on one yet, but from our experience Logitech has the best track record in the industry for delivering both quality hardware and smart design – so our expectations are pretty high. Currently the announced MSRP is $79.99, a $20 jump from the G11’s suggested price, but that still should leave it well within the affordable range of most dedicated cost-conscious PC gamers. And while it may not have the LCD screen of more expensive models like the G19, it still has a very respectable collection of features.

Here they are, straight from the announcement:

•    Custom-color character backlighting* lets you easily locate the correct keys, even in the dark. Mix red and blue backlighting LEDs in varying intensities to create custom colors.
•    Integrated USB audio with separate headphone and mic jacks and mute buttons mean you can use any analog headset with 3.5 mm plugs as a USB audio device for clear communication with low distortion and wide range.
•    Twelve programmable G-keys with three macros per key* let you configure up to 36 unique functions per game, including single keypresses or complex macros. The MR key can be used to record new macros on the fly.
•    Hi-Speed USB 2.0 hub port lets you connect a flash drive for fast data transfer or quickly plug in your gaming mouse.
•    Game/desktop mode switch disables the Windows/Context Menu keys so they won’t interrupt your game if pressed accidentally.

As we mentioned before, Logitech’s  G110 Gaming Keyboard won’t be available until sometime next month, but we’ll be sure and let you know if we have a chance to get our hands on one before then. In the meantime however, they have told us that for the next 13 days only they are accepting pre-orders with free shipping here.

Shop for Gaming Accessories at Logitech

I attended the 16 minute Avatar preview in Southern California. Going in with an open mind, I really didn’t know what to expect. So much hype has surrounded James Cameron’s movie that it’s difficult not to have high expectations. After getting burned on District 9, I was fully prepared for another colossal letdown.

I’ll cut to the chase: James Cameron delivered.

What’s With the 3D?

While I was impressed with the trailer that was released a few days prior, I did share some concern with others that the CG of the aliens may not have been up-to-snuff. I, and everyone else who judged the graphics based on the trailer….was wrong. There is one critical aspect missing in the trailer and it makes all of the difference: 3D.

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Now we’re talking synergy! It’s been the holy grail of comic-based movies, having characters from one movie appear in another character’s tale. While it may only be a cameo, Robert Downey reprises his role as Tony Stark for a brief scene in the forthcoming Hulk, further extending the reality of the Marvel universe. You’ll find evidence of Stark’s appearance in the clip below. If we can somehow get Iron Man and Spider-Man joining forces in the future, well, there will be a ton of happy fans.