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.

unspecified

Hail yeah

Amazon’s Zoox robotaxi service gears up to hit Houston roads

Photo courtesy of Zoox

undefined

Amazon-owned robotaxi ride-hailing service Zoox is zooming into Houston later this month, becoming the latest robotaxi operator jockeying for local riders.

Initially, self-driving retrofitted SUVs with safety drivers on board will serve downtown Houston, centrally located tourist hotspots, and certain residential neighborhoods. The SUVs will test Houston roads before Zoox rolls out autonomous robotaxis here, the company says.

Zoox takes Houston for a test drive

At the outset, Zoox says, a limited number of vehicles will be driven by people to gather data about Houston roads.

“This helps create a detailed picture of each street, from road geometry to traffic lights,” the company says. “Once we have mapped out an area, we will test autonomous driving capabilities. Safety and operational readiness govern the pace of our rollout.”

Zoox says its robotaxi differs from vehicles operated by other ride-hailing services.

The robotaxi “is purpose-built for autonomous ride-hailing and designed for riders from day one,” the company says. “It has no traditional driving controls and instead has carriage-style seating, sliding glass doors, and features that let the rider personalize their journey.”

Along with Houston, Zoox is launching this month in San Diego. The ride-hailing service already operates in Austin, Dallas, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

Zoox breaks into “sprawling” Houston market

Zoox describes Houston as its “most sprawling market to date.”

“Driving here means navigating complex service-road networks, unique merging scenarios, and challenging environmental conditions, including severe heat, heavy rain, and urban flooding,” the company says. “It’s a rigorous test of our technology across geography and terrain.”

Zoox will join two other autonomous ride-hailing services in Houston:

Waymo began rolling in Houston in February. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, owns Waymo.
Electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla began offering robotaxi services earlier this year.

A third Zoox competitor is arriving within the next year. A partnership comprising rideshare provider Uber, EV manufacturer Lucid, and autonomous technology company Nuro plans to launch a robotaxi service in Houston by mid-2027.