I recently read a study from Nielsen that confirmed what I (and other BlackBerry device owners) already know: 40 percent of mobile device owners use their smartphone or tablet daily as their “second screen” while watching television. Since I was reading the report on my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet while watching TV – and given the great video features in the new BlackBerry 10 smartphones – that statistic wasn’t surprising at all.

The one part Nielsen didn’t cover was the percentage of people who will also sometimes merge the two screens by connecting a mini-HDMI cable on their tablet to their TV. I do this all the time, and BlackBerry World definitely has me covered with great film and television content. I also wanted to share a few of the apps I think are pretty cool for watching television or movies through your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet or BlackBerry 10 smartphone via HDMI:

Movie Vault – Great Classic Films by Fling Soft LLC: While you’re curled up on the sofa drinking hot cocoa during the winter months, break out some John Wayne or Charlie Chaplin with the Movie Vault app. There are some great classic films in here, along with a few cult classics too. So whichever movie genre you prefer, you won’t be disappointed.

Movie Library by Saper-ek: If you’ve got one friend who insists “that’s the same actor from…” this app may help you win some wagers. Utilizing the database and API from themoviedb.org, I’ve found this app very helpful to find out more information about the movie I’m watching.

Tablet TV Premium by SCrApps: Sure, you could compile a list of every television station on the Internet, sort them by geographic location, and try and give it some solid organization yourself. But why do that yourself when the folks at SCrApps are going to give you all that and more for a dollar? This is a handy app indeed for television aficionados who travel with their BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

VEVO by VEVO LLC: I’m a fan of both movies and music, and having grown up in the music video generation, I love that I can access a catalog of more than 50,000 music videos from VEVO. With VEVO, you’re bound to find something to enjoy no matter what your taste in music. You can also create playlists with this app for an evening of video entertainment when guests come over.

These four apps are just ones I’ve used; there are tons more available through BlackBerry World. What apps do you use to watch movies/TV on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet or BlackBerry device? Are there any apps that you would recommend?