Amazon Alexa-enabled devices are getting a more organized news briefing experience from CNBC, following the broadcaster’s announcement that it would be adding newer than four new Flash Briefings for the platform. The briefings are already available as of November 20 and can be accessed via audio briefing on compatible Alexa-enabled devices, such as Amazon’s Echo and Echo Dot. For video formatted content, users will need to have access to the screen-enhanced Amazon Echo Show. Of course, because of how Amazon’s Echo devices work and as users of the devices will already know, anybody interested in gaining access to the new briefings will need to enable the associated CNBC skills via the Alexa Skills site.
As to the new Flash Briefings, and as mentioned above, they fall into four categories. CNBC Markets Now gives users insight into how the market is currently shifting. That’s offered alongside commentary and analysis from CNBC Senior Markets Commentator Michael Santoli. Another Alexa Skill, CNBC Tech Check, delivers the latest tech news – as its name implies. For insights shared on CNBC’s Mad Money, hosted by Jim Cramer, users simply need to access the Mad Money Cramer Remix Skill via an Alexa-enabled device. Finally, accessing the Mad Money Lighting Round CNBC Skill is an easy way for owners of Alexa-enabled devices to get into the portion of Cramer’s show where he takes viewer calls and provides advice on navigating the Wall Street investment environment. Any of these new skills, once enabled, can be accessed with relatively simple voice commands. For example, asking, “Alexa, what’s my Flash Briefing?” will give users a quick rundown through each of the briefings they currently have enabled. Asking, “Alexa, ask CNBC, how are the markets doing today?” will provide a response more focused on CNBC’s Markets Now briefing specifically. Getting more in-depth information about the markets, on the other hand, simply requires a user to ask more directly about stock prices, EFT prices, futures, or pre-market information.
The new skills join others already on offer from NBCUniversal via the Amazon Alexa section of Amazon.com. Those include a more general CNBC and CNBC Flash Briefing Alexa Skills, as well as others associated with particular shows on the network. Anybody interested in checking out the skills for themselves, in the meantime, can hit the button below.
Get The Skills Now