LAS VEGAS - January 7, 2009 - At the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Cisco® today announced new consumer technologies and initiatives that enable the connected life by delivering a new class of compelling communication and entertainment experiences.

Facts:

• Cisco's consumer business includes home networking products, set-top boxes, media solutions and content delivery systems. Through collaboration with technology partners, service providers, content providers, retailers and consumer electronic device manufacturers, Cisco is expanding the Human Network to create an end-to-end, media-optimized network that extends from the content source to the consumer.
• During a press conference today at CES, Cisco Chairman and CEO John Chambers and his senior executive team will discuss Cisco's vision for new, connected consumer experiences and the company's latest products in support of this vision, including:
• Linksys by Cisco wireless Home Audio Solution: From the world leaders in networking, the Wireless Home Audio system utilizes Wireless-N technology to deliver a rich audio experience to any room in the home. Users can create a party atmosphere with immaculate synchronization when listening to the same song throughout the entire home, or send different music to customized "zones." The Wireless Home Audio solution also puts millions of songs at your fingertips through integrated Internet services such as Rhapsody , AudioLounge , and RadioTime. An optional Docking Station for iPod enables your content on Apple iPods^TM, including Podcasts, Audio Books, and purchased iTunes content, to be played through any Wireless Home Audio device on the network. Wireless Home Audio products also work great with the newly announced Linksys by Cisco Media Hub that gathers and presents the available media on a network.
• Linksys by Cisco Media Hub: Designed to simplify access to and interaction with digital content, the Media Hub gathers, organizes, and presents all the digital video, photos and music that users have spread amongst various devices in the home. With a Media Hub consumers can enjoy all of their media through an easy to use interface that is not only accessible in the home, but throughout the world via a web browser. The Media Hub is the perfect solution for consumers with extensive digital media libraries who are looking to eliminate the complexity of managing their collections.
• Cisco Eos: The Cisco EosTM software platform is a hosted, white-label software platform that allows Media & Entertainment companies to create, manage and grow online communities around their content. Eos is a powerful, integrated platform that integrates social networking, content management and site administration features into a single operating environment, allowing content owners to deliver immersive consumer experiences, while increasing revenue opportunities and reducing operational costs. Warner Music Group will be the first customer to deploy Eos-powered sites for some of its artists.
• Cisco Consumer Channel Network: Cisco today announced a new channel initiative in the United States and Canada, specifically developed for resellers that cater to customers in the home and small office/home office market space. The Cisco Consumer Channel Network (Cisco CCN) is part of Cisco's award-winning Channel Partner Program and will provide resellers with resources, tools and training for selling the Linksys by Cisco product line of Connected Home Products.
• Cisco Device Connections Program: Cisco announced the Cisco Device Connections Program, a licensing program for enabling manufacturers to use the Home Network Administration Protocol (HNAP) in variety of network connected devices. HNAP enables a simple and secure approach for devices to be set up and configured and interoperate with other HNAP-enabled devices on a home network when using routers/gateways that use HNAP and Network Magic, a consumer friendly software program for managing a home network.
• Cisco also announced the first phase of results from a new Visual Networking Index (VNI) Pulse Survey designed to assess worldwide consumer video behaviors and attitudes. The study, conducted by the Center for the Digital Future at the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and sponsored by Cisco, highlights consumer video consumption and attitudes about video in the United States, urban China, Germany, and Sweden. Survey respondents answered questions regarding their level of access to media technology, the devices they used for viewing video, the amount of time they spent watching video on different devices, and the reasons they watch video content.
• The Cisco CES press conference will take place from 1:00-1:45 p.m. PST at the Las Vegas Venetian Hotel, Venetian Titian Room 2206. Appropriate credentials (e.g., badge or business card) will be required. Those not in Las Vegas can attend via a live webcast at http://event.ciscowebseminars.com/clients/cisco/CES2009.
• Demonstrations of Cisco's consumer products for press and analysts will be conducted at The Venetian Hotel during CES by appointment only. To schedule a briefing, please contact CiscoConsumer@Text100.com.
• In addition, John Chambers and Intel Chairman Craig Barrett will lead a CES keynote on the role technology plays driving economic growth in emerging markets. The discussion will take place on Friday, January 9 from 1:00-2:00 p.m. PT at the Venetian Hotel, Venetian Palazzo Ballroom.
• All Cisco speaking engagements at CES can be viewed on Cisco's CES 2009 Web site.

Supporting Quotes:

• "The network is the platform for a new age of compelling consumer experiences," said Ned Hooper, senior vice president of Corporate Development and Consumer Group, Cisco. "Cisco creates connections between people and their digital content by enabling communication and entertainment experiences to be shared across devices, locations and applications. We are leading a market revolution in which all consumer devices, services and content are designed to leverage the network, enabling new visual networking experiences."

Supporting Resources:

• Podcast with Cisco's Ned Hooper discussing the company's Consumer strategy
• B-roll footage of Cisco's new Wireless Home Audio and Media Hub products is available at ftp://secure.linksys.com/ (Username: linksyspr, Password: linksyspr).
• Read Cisco's news feature on the media-enabled home.
• Follow Cisco's CES news and activities on Cisco's Platform Blog, DigItAll Consumer Blog, DigMediaRev Blog and Cisco Consumer Web site, and follow Cisco's service provider news and activities on SP360 Blog.
• Learn more about consumer products for a media-enabled home at www.linksysbycisco.com and www.linksysbycisco.com/forums.
• Subscribe to the DigItAll Consumer blog to join Cisco consumer conversations and to view Cisco bloggers lifecasting at CES.
• Follow DigitalCribs on Twitter for CES updates and commentary from Cisco.
• Become a fan of Cisco "Digital Cribs" on Facebook and invite your friends to join the conversation.
• Catch video excerpts from Las Vegas on the CiscoDigitalCribs YouTube channel.
• For aggregated Cisco consumer social media updates, subscribe to the DigitalCribs FriendFeed.
• Subscribe to Cisco's RSS Feed.

Technorati Tags:

Cisco, Consumer Electronics Show, CES, Cisco Consumer, Cisco Consumer Business Group, Cisco Consumer Business Unit, CBG, Service Provider Video Technology Group, SPVTG, Cisco Media Solutions Group, CMSG, John Chambers, Ned Hooper, Dan Scheinman, Tony Bates, Cisco Eos, Cisco Eos software platform, Linksys by Cisco, Wireless Home Audio Solution, Wireless Home Audio products, Media Hub, Cisco NMH400, Cisco NMH300, Cisco Device Connections Program (CDCP), Network Magic, Linksys Easy Link Advisor, Cisco platform, video, media-enabled home, visual networking, medianets, connected lifestyle, network, platform, Internet networks, Human Network, home network, consumer technology, digital life, video sharing, mobile video, social networking, social networks, social media, visual, social, personal

Embedded Video and Images:

Video:

"Cisco Consumer" with Ned Hooper, senior vice president of Corporate Development and Consumer Group at Cisco

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• Linksys by Cisco Wireless Home Audio Family
  
  
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• Cisco Eos Software Platform
  
  
• Ned Hooper, senior vice president of Corporate Development and Consumer Business Group
  
  
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About Cisco's Consumer Business:

Cisco's consumer business includes home networking products, set-top boxes, media solutions and content delivery systems. Through collaboration with technology partners, service providers, content providers, retailers and consumer electronic device manufacturers, Cisco is expanding the Human Network to create an intelligent, end-to-end media-optimized network that extends from the content source to the consumer.