Gadget Report
Texans aren't so thrilled about new Apple Watch if you believe Twitter
With the highly-anticipated Apple Watch launching just over a week ago, it seems that the gadget is receiving mixed reviews from both consumers and potential ones, especially in Texas.
A study from data mining website CrowdFlower found that just 37 percent of Texas consumers and potential consumers "love the new gadget," falling well below the national average of 55 percent.
The site analyzed more than 30,000 individual tweets about the Apple Watch since its launch on April 24 to conduct the study.
Apple's home state of California tweeted about the new watch more frequently than any other in the country and residents also had the most positive opinions, with 59 percent of residents pleased by the gadget.
The site analyzed more than 30,000 individual tweets about the Apple Watch since its launch on April 24 to conduct the study.
Among other findings: Women are more excited about the watch than men, with 64 percent of women expressing positive feelings toward the gadget and only 53 percent of men giving an overall approval rating. These percentages have dropped since the watch was first announced, when almost 74 percent of women and over 56 percent of men were excited and intended to purchase it.
Those who expressed negative feelings about the features of the Apple Watch most often cited app bugs (22 percent of the time), technical performance (15 percent) and overall design (14 percent).
One of the problems that has garnered significant media attention is the fact that some wrist tattoos interfere with the watch's functioning, specifically with monitoring heart rate. Following numerous reports from users experiencing problems with the new gadget, Apple updated their support page for the watch with a statement:
Permanent or temporary changes to your skin, such as some tattoos, can also impact heart rate sensor performance. The ink, pattern, and saturation of some tattoos can block light from the sensor, making it difficult to get reliable readings.
Apple says the easiest way to fix the problem is to use an external Bluetooth monitor worn on the chest to track heart rate.
The watch ranges from $349 for the Sport model to $12,000 for a gold-plated model.
