Photos: Tech marketing stunts gone awry

Microsoft's recent ploy to outfit bloggers with fancy-schmancy laptops--such as this Acer Ferrari--preloaded with Windows Vista, was the source of much debate and criticism. Some thought it was a great idea, so long as bloggers disclosed their gift before writing about Vista. Others, however, were harshly critical about what they considered "ethically indistinguishable from bribery." The software giant's PR firm, Edelman, also came under fire for the stunt.

The brouhaha generated much publicity--although possibly not the kind Microsoft was going for.