David Tucker
10-15-2007, 04:54 PM
<a href="http://blogs.zdnet.com/Berlind/?p=811">In an exchange</a> that has reached comedic proportions, Microsoft, Sandisk, and Dave Berlind of ZDNet have been issuing challenge after challenge to each other in the past week. It all started off with a rather innocuous chest thumping statement from Microsoft's Robbie Bach stating that after the holiday season, the digital music player race would be about two companies. Microsoft and Apple. So a couple weeks ago, in a friendly challenge, Dave Berlind offered Microsoft a challenge. He'd shave his head if Microsoft was numero dos in the market after the holidays. Of course if Microsoft didn't make this goal, Berlind expected Robbie Bach to do the same. <br /><br />Sandisk, the current #2, wasn't about to let this potential challenge from Microsoft to its supremacy go either. Carm Lyman, Sandisk spokesperson, <a href="http://blogs.zdnet.com/Berlind/?p=820 ">has thrown down the gauntlet</a> as well. Microsoft has until October 31st to accept HER challenge. The challenge is of course the same as Berlind's. It goes without saying that Carm has far more to lose here than Dave. <br /><br />If the story ended here, it would be a merely amusing footnote. But wait, in the immortal words of Steve Ballmer, <a href="http://blogs.zdnet.com/Berlind/?p=834">there's more!</a> Would Microsoft step up to the plate and good humor flying around? Well, in a way. And, without even losing a bet, Microsoft lost the betting war. Robbie Bach has remained silent but Microsoft’s head of business development for Zune, Bill Wittress, has offered to accept. There's only one problem. Bill Wittress already shaves his head! So what was his deal? If he lost, he'd grow his hair out for 6 weeks. Sorry Microsoft, try again!