Over the last year, the iPhone / iPod Touch app store has seen substantial growth in the number of home theater / movie applications.  Manufacturers have especially latched onto the platform in order to provide consumers with extra control options.  Everything from A/V receivers to HDTVs has seen new methods of integration with Apple’s mobile devices.   Add in the release of the iPad and we expect to see an acceleration of growth for applications developed for home theater gurus (especially in system control applications).We combed over the App store to bring you 30 iPhone / iPod Touch home theater / movie apps that you should definitely check out.  First up, Movie Management applications. Movie Management:PocketflicksThere are several Netflix Queue management tools available for the iPhone, but PocketFlicks (formally PocketFlix) is the best one I’ve tested.  It’s quick, simple and responsive.   ...

If the recent Blu-con conference in Los Angeles is any indicator, Blu-ray is officially here to stay.  If you haven’t made the jump into the 1080p deliciousness of this high definition movie format, now is the time.  With the holiday season rapidly approaching, there will be an astounding number of cheap Blu-ray players targeted at consumers finally ready to start replacing their DVD collections.Of course, with all the deals on the Blu-ray market, audio / video fanatics have to be careful that they are spending their money on high quality Blu-ray players.   The following section of our holiday gift guide will provide solid recommendations on which players to keep your eye out for.  In addition, we provided intermediate and videophile level picks for those looking to seriously upgrade their home theater system.If you are just getting into Blu-ray, we easily recommend ...

Wandering around the show room floor at the 20th Anniversary 2009 CEDIA Expo offers a daunting experience, as turning your head 180 degrees will likely reveal no less than two new flat-panel televisions, a psychedelic set of speakers, and a super-secret enclosure available only for the elite (or, more like the patient).  New technology is spilling from the seams in brightly-light, ultra-colorful displays aiming to grab your attention in any way possible.  Underneath the glitz and glamour behind brand-spanking new electronics from major and minor labels alike, however, this expo also showcases many items that are just about to hit the market.  It is, after all, an event largely constructed to entice dealers with new retail “stuff” to offer consumers.  Let’s take a look at some of the enticing (and eyebrow-raising) flat-panel displays and Blu-ray players found on the CEDIA ...

New brands are popping up on Twitter daily and the high-end CE industry is no exception.  Whether it's a large audio manufacturer, a high-end dealer, trade show representatives or simply a fellow publication, Twitter is primarily being utilized by companies that want to broadcast news or link potential customers to their home page. Most brands are simply using Twitter to make sure new and existing customers have an alternative method to finding them, but there are savvy, intelligent brands within our industry that are using Twitter as more than a simple soapbox.  These companies have figured out that it doesn’t matter how many Twitter followers you have, but rather how you interact with them in a meaningful, impacting way to ensure future success.  Regardless of all the social networking methods out there, there’s no method of communication that allows such ...

Water coolers in offices across the nation will be occupied with workers discussing their latest bets and opinions on the month's biggest events. While the Super Bowl will be in prominent focus at the beginning of the month, those with more refined ideas will be eagerly waiting February 22nd , the night of  the 81st Academy Awards ceremony. Employees will be starting betting pools, printing out their ballots, and casting their water cooler knowledge upon their coworkers for this highly anticipated event. It's always good to get some expert opinions on the matter, if only to help you refine your own predictions on the subject. So we sat down with a three prominent individuals from different avenues of the entertainment industry to get their perspective on some of the top categories of this year's Academy Awards: