• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, December 22, 2010

Hoping to capitalize on the surge of interest in Apple's new iPad tablet computer, movie ticket seller and review site Fandango has introduced a new iOS app tailored for the device, giving iPad users access to a variety of new and established features.

Familiar features include Fandango's movie reviews from professional critics and film fans, movie-related tweets and map integration combining user location and titles, theaters, showtimes and tickets.

New features designed specifically for the iPad include "The Pulse," a visual representation of the company's hottest ticket sellers, viewable in both list and map formats. The new iPad app also features more video, photos, trailers, clips and exclusive interview features, all tailored for the high-resolution HD display.

The new Fandango app debuts amid increasing competition in both the cinema content and mobile media arenas.

In January of this year, Flixster acquired Rotten Tomatoes, which aggregates professional movie reviews, from IGN Entertainment. It cited Rotten Tomatoes' rapid growth on mobile devices; the combined properties reach an estimated 3 million moviegoers via mobile apps for the iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android-powered devices every weekend, according to the company, with offerings including theater and show listings, maps and online ticket sales.

In September, Flixster and National CineMedia joined forces for a multiplatform movie content and advertising alliance, allowing marketers to reach movie fans in theaters, online and via mobile devices. The deal also provides Flixster with its first consumer marketing campaign, courtesy of NCM's cinema ad network, which reaches 17,100 movie screens nationwide.

According to a recent forecast from eMarketer, Apple will sell 13.3 million iPads in 2010, followed by 33.1 million in 2011, and 56.1 million in 2012, for cumulative sales of 102.5 million by the end of that year.