Here is a breakdown of what happened based on online reports and official comments from Samsung. As an aside, I'm still waiting for Samsung to return my request for an interview request.

Blogging for airline tickets

According to , which has the full, detailed story, Samsung offered the bloggers -- Clinton Jeff of Unleash the Phones and another blogger who requested to remain anonymous -- transportation and lodging to the IFA 2012 tradeshow in Berlin through Samsung's Mob!lers program. is self-described as an "exclusive network of bloggers who are first in line to trial and review the latest Samsung products, for free!"

Jeff and the other blogger reportedly accepted the trip, but only after they confirmed that they would be allowed to cover the show as independent bloggers, not as brand ambassadors or Samsung promoters. Long story short, they arrived in Berlin and discovered that Samsung expected them to promote the products. They refused, and Samsung allegedly told them they could either "be a part of this and wear the uniform" or they'd have to "get [their] own tickets back home and handle [their] hotel stay from the moment this call ends."

In other words, Samsung allegedly threatened to leave the bloggers stranded in Berlin. The company quickly reversed its threat, calling the bloggers back and telling them that if they agreed to wear the Samsung shirts at one event and to never blog about the incident, the company would fly the bloggers back to India on September 1. Of course, the conference ends on September 6, so the bloggers wouldn't be able to cover the event.