1. A handheld electronic device comprising: a touch screen display that receives media system remote control gestures from a user; processing circuitry that generates remote control command information for a media system based on the gestures; and wireless communications circuitry with which the processing circuitry transmits the remote control command information to the media system to control the media system remotely, wherein the processing circuitry and wireless communications circuitry are configured to receive status information from the media system in response to the remote control command information, wherein information is displayed on the handheld electronic device that reflects the status information from the media system, and wherein the processing circuitry and the touch screen display are configured to present a visual acknowledgment of each media system remote control gesture that is received from the user at least partly using the received status information.