Have you ever had a dream where you are writing an e-mail or doing other regular day stuff? I have and it always seems like a waste of a dream to me. But, yesterday I was dreaming about presentations. About ones that I’m going to be giving this week and next. It was strange because in a weird way the dream was very productive. I woke up with the topic I’m going to speak on at the Portable and New Media Expo this week in California.

I wasn’t suppose to be giving a speech. I’m actually moderating a panel on using Virtual Worlds to grow your audience. But, then at PodCamp Philly I met Lee Gibbons, the CEO of Podango and we had a nice chat. When I got back home I had an e-mail from him asking if I’d be interested in giving the opening “unkeynote” at the Podango booth. How could I say no? Robert Scoble did it last year, so I’m honored to be asked to do it this year.

I think what Podango does at the expo is the way it should be. Sure, they have a product and service that they are looking to raise awareness about with a big booth on the expo floor, but they are also giving back to the attendees of the event. It is free to go to the Expo floor so even if you can’t pay to get into the other presentations, they have two full days of speakers lined up and live show recordings going on. The full speaker schedule is here and it’s got a lot of the big names in podcasting. This is a picture of Rob Walch speaking in last years booth.

More companies need to step up and give back the community that is giving them a business model in the first place. Last year the Expo was a turning point for a lot of things, but this year I think is going to be the biggest. Some announcements have been made, I know about a few others and I’m sure there will be some surprises. The whole market of new media is growing up people need to question and look at everything a little differently then we did just a few years ago at the expo.

I can’t wait. The expo is like summer camp for me. Getting together with old friends and making new ones. Great music. Lots of drinks. Very little sleep. It is a great combination!