Really Real-Time Quotes for You

Interested in Microsoft's stock gyrations? How about Google ? Or is it Oracle that floats your boat?

Using most sites on the Internet to check those stocks will get you quotes delayed by 20 minutes. Not here. Starting today (Monday) we're giving you real-time quotes for stocks traded on the Nasdaq. And these quotes are the real deal, straight from the exchange.

That last part is important. Some other sites, notably Yahoo Finance, are hawking "real-time quotes" as well. But those are real time quotes from an ECN exchange ... not the Nasdaq itself. Sure, stocks trade on ECNs ... but not nearly in the volume and with the number of different players that stocks trade on the actual Nasdaq. That means ECN quotes can be off by a few cents or more.

Now to many casual investors that doesn't matter. And I don't want to cast aspersions on Yahoo ... they are, after all, a "frenemy" of ours (we compete with them in some respects, but partner with them as well). But I'm one of those people who look askance when someone offers me "genuine imitation chocolate" instead of, well, real chocolate. Others don't care.

When it comes to CNBC.com readers, I know you want the real deal ... not the genuine imitation. Have a bite of chocolate here, folks.

(You can read the full press release on our real-time quotes here).

Updates

Reader's respond to Real-Time Nasdaq Quotes

Real-Time: Compliments and Questions