Washington, D.C. (August 9, 2012) -- Two Wall Street analysts have conducted a poll of 200 consumers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and concluded that 49 percent of the entire nation is interested in buying an Apple-branded TV.

The analysts -- Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster and Barclays's Ben Reitzes -- say the Minnesota poll has a 95 percent confidence level and thus reflects the opinions of the entire U.S. population, writes Fortune Magazine.

And they said this with a straight face, or a straight keyboard, that is.

Anyone who has ever done a poll, or even read one, knows that polling 200 people in one town can not produce an accurate reading of the intentions of the entire country. Polling 200 people in one town may not even produce a good measurement of what that particular town will do. The number of respondents is simply not high enough and the restrictive regional nature of the poll creates all kinds of unknowns. People in Minnesota have different demographics, economic conditions and a host of other characteristics different from other states.

But it seems that the analysts are anxious to issue something -- anything -- that suggests the nation is clamoring for an Apple HDTV. Munster in particular has been a loud booster of the Apple HDTV, issuing ever-shifting predictions for when Apple will launch one. He also once said it will be the biggest thing in consumer electronics since the smart phone.

An Apple HDTV -- if Apple ever does launch one -- could generate significant sales. But with a likely price point much higher than a comparably-sized set, it also could turn out to be a mixed bag at retail.

But one thing is for sure: Someone should take an Apple iPhone, call Munster and Reitzes and tell them a few things about polling.