Today's Geek Dads Are Connected and Cool

IRVINE, CA, Feb 02 (MARKET WIRE) --
Hear the word "geek" and visions of someone overly intellectual and
socially awkward may come to mind. When that "geek" is also a "dad" the
image may very well be a middle-aged man wearing black socks with sandals
and a pocket protector, but new thinking may be changing all that for the
better. A new survey by Cisco's (NASDAQ: CSCO) Home Networking Business,
maker of Linksys(R) products, finds that today's geeks are cooler,
connected and more engaged fathers than people may realize.

A "geek dad" is a father who is enthusiastic about technology and
knowledgeable about the latest innovations. The Confessions of a Geek Dad
survey* conducted in December by Answers Research, found that 71 percent
of geek dads say they spend more time doing activities with their kids
than their fathers did with them. Today's geek dads have a wide variety
of interests, including being music lovers (82 percent), outdoor
enthusiasts (65 percent), all-around fix-it guys (79 percent), gaming
fanatics (78 percent) and sports buffs (77 percent). In fact, 70 percent
of geek dads say their kids think they are cool because they're a tech
geek. And when called a "tech geek" by their kids, 87 percent say that
makes them feel proud or humored. Also, most geek dads (69 percent) say
they're cooler than other dads, attributing their coolness factor to
creating a home where their kids' friends love hanging out (75 percent).

These statistics are part of a new wave of fathers who are using
technology to connect with their families to create fun and memorable
traditions and are more confident in their own abilities as parents.

"Today's generation of fathers has grown up fed on a never-ending
evolution of technology, from the touch-tone phone to Atari and Apple,"
said Clay Nichols, self-proclaimed geek dad and blogger at DadLabs.com.
"Throw in the proliferation of tech in everyday life, and it's not
surprising to see a new class of dads who are able to translate tech
knowledge, passion and expertise into unique experiences that are
redefining family time."

"It's about embracing a new reality. You can be just as excited about new
technology and what you can do with it, as when you were a teenager --
and that's what keeps you cool," said Nichols.

Interestingly, the survey showed that 72 percent of geek dads (especially
younger ones age 24-39 at 79 percent) say they're more excited about
teaching kids how to use tech tools than the traditional workbench tools
their dads taught them. In fact, 93 percent of geek dads say they assist
their kids with their tech toys with nearly 80 percent saying they're
always one of the first of their friends to buy new tech products.

"We recognize that technology in the home can create meaningful
experiences with kids, whether it's editing videos together, playing
games or researching shared passions," said Elizabeth Jones, senior
marketing manager, Cisco Home Networking Business Unit. "Geek dads are
more confident and we want to fuel their connectivity with home
networking solutions that connect all their new tech toys with ease and
performance."

With Linksys, You Won't Suffer the Buffer
With the vast array of tech
products geek dads use today and the desire they have to share their
know-how with their families, having the right wireless router can make
all the difference between creating a memorable experience or not. In
fact, the survey showed that slow Internet (25 percent) and Wi-Fi
connectivity issues (19 percent) are the top frustrations geek dads face
when it comes to home technologies.

With the new Linksys E4200V2 Maximum Performance Wireless-N Dual Band
Router, geek dad or not, users get maximum streaming speed for HD/3D
quality video streaming, superior wireless coverage, and faster USB hard
drive disk performance for streaming media. Additionally Cisco
Connect(TM) software offers simple parental controls and security
settings to help protect your wireless network, an easy three-step set-up
and 24/7 support.

About Cisco
Cisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in networking
that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate. Cisco's
vision for the consumer is to enable people to live a connected life that
is more personal, more social and more visual. Further information about
Cisco and its full line of consumer products including Linksys can be
found at www.linksys.com and www.cisco.com/consumer.

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imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.

*The Linksys "Confessions of a Geek Dad" Survey; conducted by Answers
Research on behalf of Cisco Home Networking in December 2011; survey of
590 men ages 25-54 with children ages 17 and under.

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Press Contacts:
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Cisco
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949 823-1578

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Current
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310 854-8266

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Analyst Relations
Lisa Soto
Cisco
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Carol Villazon
Cisco
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408 527-6538

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