Cisco, Haier to cooperate in home networking

Cisco Systems, the world's largest network equipment maker, announced a deal Tuesday with Haier, China's largest appliance manufacturer, to cooperate on home networking, reported the Wall Street Journal. The two will take advantage of the internet's growing popularity as a conduit for media and entertainment. The deal follows another partnership announced in June between Microsoft and Chinese television maker Changhong Electric Company to develop digital entertainment products. Cisco and Haier will share expertise in management and constructing "home networking systems," the companies said in a statement. China has the world's largest television audience, at 400 million viewers, and the second-largest population of internet users, after the US, with 162 million online. Financial details of the deal were not provided.