CNBC Real-Time

Reviewer: Tim McLain
Platform: Android

RATING:
4 out of 5

PRICE:
FREE

TASTY:
Free app from a trusted leader in business news makes it easy to keep tabs on 1 to 150 stocks in real-time. (Did I mention it’s free?)

BUMMER:
A simple overlay powered by CNBC’s mobile website. The stock cnbc.com website (and iPhone version) offer far more information and data.

COOL:
Quick, clear, concise data on the top stocks in your portfolio. Handles stock price data and trends deftly, with quicker updates than any other free app tested in the Android Marketplace to date.

REVIEW:
There’s no shortage of free apps that let you tap into stock information. CNBC’s Real-Time app, though, offers a custom interface that taps into the TV channel’s mobile website to deliver updated stock quotes directly from NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) faster than any other app I’ve tested to date.

Setting up custom watchlists (up to five lists containing 30 stocks each) is straightforward, and the business news crawl works well after the last update. Charts, company news, and standard related financial data is all here. To find current quotes, just enter a symbol into the search box. Easy!

In a recent online interview, CNBC vice president of digital technology and products Scott Drake said, “Real-time market data is a differentiator and necessity for investors in today’s complex market. Our mission is to provide users unprecedented access to the real-time information, market news, and analysis they need on all platforms and on every device.”

That said, CNBC’s first foray into the Android Marketplace leaves some things to be desired. Most notably is the lack of features found in the iPhone version, along with many features available as a registered user of cnbc.com. Let’s hope these are coming in future updates.

Still, if you’re looking for an app to keep you connected to the latest data and news related to your 5 or even 150 stocks, you’ll find yourself tapping into this app often while on-the-go and away from your PC.