Quick Look: CNBC's Roku channel offers a unique combination of app interaction and video content. The channel provides real-time stock quotes that are linked to videos on the quoted stocks, and you have the ability to set up your own portfolio within the channel.
The CNBC channel launches with a video, but don't be fooled if it shows the "live" banner. This is a prerecorded video, not the live CNBC broadcast. The right third of the screen lists My Stocks (see below for information on editing this list) and Hot Stocks with the current prices and the associated change (in both points and percentage) since the previous trading day's closing prices. Also shown is a list of CNBC videos.
Videos come from a variety of CNBC shows. For example, at the time of this review, videos included a clip of Jim Cramer, Jim Lee explaining why a year-end rally is coming, and a story about the Apple Watch being delayed.
You can edit the My Stocks list by pressing the * button on your Roku remote and following the prompts to add or remove a stock. The right arrow will take you to a list of "Hot Stocks" and a list of currently available videos.
This is a nice app, but there are a number of improvements that would make it more useful. I'd like to see more options for tracking a person stock portfolio, such as adding the number of shares and purchase price, so you could track individual gains. It would also be helpful is you could add multiple portfolios, and if you could rearrange the order in which stocks are shown. However, the primary purpose of this channel, as I see it, is to deliver current stock prices and CNBC videos, and the CNBC channel does a nice job of accomplishing that.
Developer's Channel Description: Free access to real-time stock quotes, customizable watch list, and CNBC's top video news & analysis.
CHANNEL STORE CATEGORY: News & Weather
DEVELOPER: CNBC
FEES: None
RELATED LINKS:
CNBC Website
CNBC on Facebook
CNBC (@CNBC) on Twitter