WebProNews

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.

Podcasting gets a big boost with the "Detroit Auto Show" of expos for its nascent industry. The Portable Media Expo kicks off with Leo Laporte and Jason Calacinis giving keynotes Friday morning. 2,500 people are expected to attend.

A series of panels over the two days of the conference will touch on several aspects of podcasting: marketing, investments, trends, and other topics. Sony and Adobe will be the biggest industry names exhibiting at the expo, but lesser-known firms familiar to tech like Feedburner and numerous others will be on hand.

One big name in podcasting, Adam Curry, won't be on hand for this expo as anything but a regular attendee. Wired News reported how the "Podfather" and expo organizer Tim Bourquin seem to be feuding over some issues.

The antipathy between the two has led Curry to launch a "Podshow Un-Expo" at a hotel near the Ontario Convention Center. With his notable lineup of names in podcasting, Curry should draw quite a few interested parties to the Un-Expo, particularly now that he has started an ad network for podcasters.

David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business. Email him here.