Lots of stories have swirled over the question of will they or won’t they bid in the FCC’s 700MHz wireless spectrum auction, but Google now looks like a lock to pony up some cash.

Just one week until the engraved-invitation-event (oh, if only I were one of the cool kids!) and Facebook rumors are flying at only about the same rate as usual. Not so good for Facebook: many of the stories aren’t so positive. Is the media darling falling on hard times?

CBS is apparently really working to find something that will stick. Two weeks ago they were talking about social networking and making their content more portable.

Now they’re working on “EyeLab,” a studio dedicated to turning glossy 30- to 60-minute shows into bite-sized web clips. Even more revolutionary, CBS is also planning to involve users in not only watching video clips but making and uploading their own mashups of CBS clips.

When portable media player owners choose which videos to buy they want compelling video content that will look good on their small screens, according to Parks Associates, "Portable Multimedia Players: Analysis and Forecasts" report.

PC shipments are expected to reach 356.7 million globally in 2011, an increase from 256.7 million in 2007, according to IDC’s "Worldwide Quarterly PC Tracker" report.

The most important takeaways from Rocketboom’s Andrew Baron’s keynote address at the Podcast and Portable Media Expo are that content providers should not only focus on a niche, but should also be audience-centric in their approach to content delivery and monetization.

The ballroom was standing room only at the Podcast and Portable Media Expo, the crowd was electric waiting to hear from two of their idols; first TWiT host Leo Laporte, and topped off with the executive producer of Battlestar Galactica, Ron Moore, who would speak of being called a “podcasting pioneer,” how it started and why he loves it.

Robert Trencheny, the president and CEO of the Teen Podcasters Network, is the dutiful custodian of a startup company he acquired from a friend of his from his junior high days. Only he doesn’t go by Robert, he goes by Robbie, and the junior high friend is still in junior high. Robbie is only 14 years old.

Getting to Robert Scoble is like trying reach something that fell behind the refrigerator; he’s right there, you can see him, but people-shaped obstacles are preventing you from really being in the room with him.

Andrew Baron of Rocketboom fame may have sealed his position as an advertising visionary. His approach, detailed during a keynote address at the Podcast and Portable Media Expo, had everyone buzzing. A $20,000 discount for likeable commercials? Disney should shoot for an audience of 10,000?

“This is really the holy grail,” said Patrice Curtis, of Curtis Research Group to a nearly empty room at the Podcast Metrics session of the Podcast and Portable Media Expo. “Everyone should be in this room.” Maybe everyone was at the Turning Passion Into Profits, or Marketing’s New Change-Agent.

The first day of the Podcast and Portable Media Expo in Ontario, Calif., kicks off today with an all-star lineup of speakers and experts on the new media form of podcasting. WebProNews made the 2,100-mile trek to glean all we can from this emergent medium.

We’re well into the summer now, halfway through the really quiet period when most of Europe goes on holiday. At least the weather’s fantastic, in all senses of that word.

Engadget has more on the rumored Microsoft portable media player. The reactions in the comment area on Engadget are pretty interesting.

Dave Chiu and Didier Hilhorst are proposing the rollout of a special personal reputation management system called RentAThing that would follow you wherever you go both online and off.

Microsoft has released a guide for picking the right portable audio player, focusing on ten criteria:

Have trouble making purchase decisions? Toshiba has developed a mobile phone technology that scans product bar codes and collects an overall product rating based on what the blogosphere has to say about it.

What’s the point of this? A 4GB portable hard drive for the Xbox 360, selling for 74.99, about $133.

I was searching Google and Technorati looking for podcasts that were live or recorded at the Portable Media Expo in Ontario, California.

The Portable Media Expo opens in Ontario, CA, today with a sizable attendance and a slew of significant tech names giving keynotes and hosting panels.

Sirius Satellite Radio announced the release of their upcoming portable satellite radio device. It is called the Sirius S50, and is scheduled to come out in October.

Trade show rentals allow you more flexibility and the opportunity to change your booth with every expo if you wish. You can rent nearly any booth components, from portable pop-ups to completely custom looks.