LONDON, April 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Gone are the days when it was enough just to post your status online as Brits are now essentially broadcasting their everyday life to family and friends. In a growing trend, known as 'Lifecasting', young people are using the power of video to share their views, special moments and everyday experiences in life, a new study from Flip Video has revealed today.

Almost a third of 18-24 year olds surveyed see a time when they would post videos on social networks every day, with over 17% saying this is happening now or would happen this year.

The type of content uploaded and shared by this age group is varied but draws on experiences of everyday life. Laughter proves a clear winner as over half would upload and share funny moments, whilst almost a third (30%) would upload concerts. Sharing and uploading videos of parties (23%), newsworthy events witnessed (21%) and family occasions (16%) are also popular with young people in the UK.

The new study of 3,000 adults, conducted by OnePoll, reveals new trends in the way we communicate and has been commissioned to mark the launch of the next generation Flip MinoHD. This new addition to the Flip Video family of pocket camcorders comes with a larger two-inch anti-glare screen and double the memory capacity, with up to two hours of recording time on the move.

Whilst one in three post videos to keep friends and family up to date, for many, 'Lifecasting' could be their path to stardom. As Big Brother comes to an end this summer, almost one in four of 18-24 year olds and a staggering 42% of those under 18 have admitted a desire to be a YouTube star.

The high percentage of people who post videos to social networks goes hand in hand with an increase in videos being watched online, as 41% of 18-24 year olds admit they are watching more online videos than last year. In addition, over a quarter (28%) visit social networks five or more times a day.

Gareth Jones, UK Ireland Region Manager for Flip Video at Cisco said:

It is becoming second nature for many to post videos of themselves on social networks, or email a clip to friends and family. With an increase in people watching videos online, this trend for 'Lifecasting' is set to continue.

The research also discovered that, thanks to the boom in social media, half of 18-24 year olds are more comfortable sharing their life experiences online than they were a year ago.

Whilst the frequency of posts is increasing, our attention spans aren't, as the average length of a video watched online came out at less than a minute (53 seconds), as Brits require short, punchy videos to keep them engaged.

Gareth Jones continued:

It comes as no surprise that the average video length watched is 53 seconds as most people don't head to social networks such as Facebook or MySpace to watch feature length films. Instead, we want to see funny moments, newsworthy events or simply everyday interesting experiences that have been recorded by a friend, family member or rising YouTube star.

Further Information:

- Flip Video Website: http://www.theflip.com or http://www.doyouflip.co.uk

- Flip Video Twitter-Feed: http://twitter.com/FlipVideoUK

Pictures

- Second Generation Flip MinoHD

About Flip Video Products

Flip Video was acquired by Cisco in May of 2009 and is now integrated into Cisco Consumer Products. Its revolutionary Flip Video camcorders changed the way people capture and share video by making it simple, accessible and fun for anyone. Flip Video camcorders are pre-loaded with FlipShare software to enable easy organising, editing, and seamless uploading to MySpace(TM), YouTube(TM) and other video sharing sites.

About Cisco

Cisco 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. More information about Cisco and its line of consumer products can be found at http://www.theflip.com and http://www.cisco.com/consumer

Cisco, the Cisco logo, Flip Video, Flip Video logo, FlipShare and Flip Mino are registered trademarks or trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the United States and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. This document is Cisco Public Information.

Note to Editors:

A picture accompanying this release is available through the PA Photowire. It can be downloaded from http://www.pa-mediapoint.press.net or viewed at http://www.mediapoint.press.net or http://www.prnewswire.co.uk.

SOURCE: Flip Video

CONTACT: Press Contacts: Steph MacLeod, Kaizo, +44-20-3043-4151,flipvideo@kaizo.net. Lisa Soto, Cisco, +1-949-8234778, lisoto@cisco.com.Carol Villazon, Cisco, +1-408-527-6538, carolv@cisco.com