Youku Tudou, One Of China’s Leading Streaming Video Sites, Launches Its First Hardware Line

Youku Tudou, already one of China’s largest streaming video sites, is moving into hardware as well. The company said that its first three devices—a WiFi router, smart TV box, and 15.6-inch Android tablet—will be available next January. To provide content for those devices, the company is also launching a cloud entertainment business unit, which will create services that make it easier to stream videos and games from Youku Tudou’s main sites. [...] Youku Tudou’s decision to enter the hardware business comes at a time of rapid growth for China’s streaming video market. According to Digital TV Research, China is now the world’s biggest smart TV and OTT (over-the-top) content market, with 20 million to 30 million sets sold each year. - Catherine Shu,TechCrunch [via/web:http://streaming-tv.us]