PodcasterCon 2006

Check out the Map page on the PodcasterCon wiki. You might need some of this info once you’ve parked so you can walk to Murphey Hall. For directions from your hotel to parking I recomend Google maps.

If you would like a ride from the airport (RDU) and/or you’re staying in a hotel and need a ride to and from the event email me. info (at) podcastercon (dot) org. We can pick you up. Parking on the campus of UNC isn’t very good. On top of that there is a Carolina Men’s basketball game the same day versus NC State.

Thanks to Ruby for putting this map together.

As of today, 60 of the 187 people who have registered are coming from out of state! Thank you all so much for traveling to attend our small one day conference. I realize that it’s not cheap to get here.

The fact that so many will travel so far illustrates the uniqueness of podcasting. It can be useful to so many people with very diverse backgrounds. I’m seriously amazed at how virtual communities can overlap our physical ones and transcend boundaries. To say that I’m excited is a HUGE understatement!

I’m working away on the final details of PodcasterCon. Check out the nifty name tags I’ve been making. They are made out of old floppies, orange twine, green tape, silver marker, and hot glue. We should have two hundred of these suckers when I’m done. When you receive one of these you’ll be able to write your name, url, or what ever else you want on them. I hope you dig the D.I.Y. reuse aesthetic.

Cutting and applying the tape.

The first batch is done and ready to go.

Two sizes of name tags, big floppy and little floppy.

We now have over 150 people registered for PodcasterCon! Check out the People Who’ve Registered page on the PodcasterCon wiki. If you’re one of the people who’ve registered add some info about yourself. Yeah!

I reserved a van last night. It’s purpose is to help you get to PodcasterCon. Especially if you are coming from out of town via airplane, train, or bus. Please contact me and let me know if you’ll need a ride. (info (at) podcastercon (dot) org) I took Friday January 6 off from work. So if you’re coming into town that day let me know.

Here is the email I sent to everyone who was registered as of yesterday evening and from out of the state. We will do our best to accommodate everyone.

Dear PodcasterCon Guests,

If you could use a ride from the Airport or train station &/or need a ride from your hotel to and from PodcasterCon please contact me. In your email provide the following info.
* Your name
* What rides you need. Airport to & from, hotel to & from
* What Airline you are on
* Which airport you are flying into
* When your flight is scheduled to arrive
* When your flight is scheduled to depart
* Which hotel you are staying at. Street address would be helpful too.
* A description of what you’ll be wearing at airport (optional)
* Your cell phone number (optional)

Alternatively you can go to the following PodcasterCon blog post and leave you info.
http://www.podcastercon.org/blog/?p=52
This is the place to find help from locals. Lots of friendly people here who may be able help you.

Looking forward to meeting you all! Thank you for traveling so far to attend.

-Brian R.
PodcasterCon Organizer

PodcasterCon will now start at 9:30 am. Coffee and snacks will be available at 9 am. Also the main event will end at 6 pm. (Fun stuff afterwards) Changes where made in an effort to provide more time for sessions and accommodate the arrival of more people than planned. Here is the PodcasterCon Schedule on the wiki.

Several months ago we asked for $2695 to make PodcasterCon happen. As of today November 28, 2006 we’ve raised $2610! We only need a bit more to make our goal. (More than $80 because PayPal has to take their cut too.) A GIANT Thank You to everyone who has donated money and time. The event WE MADE TOGETHER is almost here!

Today’s podcast is about what’s up right now as I prepare for PodcasterCon 2006. Find more info at [Main] www.podcastercon.org, [Blog] www.podcastercon.org/blog, [Wiki] www.podcastercon.org/share, [Register] www.webslingerz.com/podcastercon.

MP3 23m 41s 10.9MB 64kbps

Update #2 Here is the correct hotel info for getting a reserved room. Twenty rooms are available at this hotel.

Hampton Inn
6121 Farrington Rd
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
27517
1-800-HAMPTON
919 403 8700

email reservation info to laurie@atmahotelgroup.com

Use the group code “PodCaster Conference”

www.hampton-inn.com/hi/chapelhillsuites

Update: We have a slightly better nightly room rate. The hotel should recognize the group name soon. We needed to sign something and fax it in first. Also we have another hotel with a few reserved rooms. See bellow.

We have a block of rooms reserved at a local hotel for PodcasterCon. I sent an email to all the people who’ve registered - as of Nov.23, 2005 - and checked they need help finding a place to stay. If you havn’t registered please do. Here is the info:

Hampton Inn Chapel Hill
1740 Fordham Blvd.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
27514
United States
Tel: +1-919-968-3000
Fax: +1-919-929-0322

The rooms are available for $79 $75 a night. Don’t forget to mention our group name - PodcasterCon - when making a reservation. They claim to have WiFi.

The hotel is about 3 miles from the event site. We plan on picking up a group from the hotel the morning of the event and taking people back to the hotel later in the day. So please let me know where you end up staying. More info as we get closer to January 7 - PODCASTERCON 2006!

Second Hotel:
Candlewood Suites
1818 E. Highway 54
Durham, NC 27713
(919) 484-9922
(919) 484-9933

Big mad props to Mur Lafferty and Ryan Ireland for help with the hotels!

Here is a list of other hotels near the event site. They should all be on a bus line.

(more…)

The closest airport to UNC, where we’re having PodcasterCon, is RDU - Raleigh-Durham International Airport. It’s about 30 minutes drive from UNC. GSO - Piedmont Triad International Airport - is about one hour from UNC. CLT - Charlotte Douglas International Airport - is about three hours from UNC.

There are no quick and cheap public transportation options from RDU to UNC. There is a regional bus. Go to ridetta.org. It could take an hour to get from RDU to UNC, plus a fair amount of confusion if you take the bus.

Check with the hotel you are staying at and see if they offer shuttle service. Any local folks who are willing to pick up people at the airport let us know in the comments.

If anyone needs a ride post your arrival time here, airline, and cell number to hook up with people to share a cab. A cab ride from RDU to UNC will be about $30.