Firmware Upgrade P800 for free?

Most places its free they consider this a service but some do charge u a little amount for it and yes they can do this

Technically yes, but still a grey area that they have not explained to the consumer (US)... However, your warranty kicks when your unit is compromised through software/hardware bugs that prevents it from functioning correctly. For example, your unit crashes randomly or hangs up when using certain applications. In that case your system may need to get wiped and upraded. Similar to formatting a corrupted PC hard drive and reloading the OS on it. In case your P800 needs to get cleaned up the flashing will wipe everything off and re-install the firmware. Now if that is required then they will reflash it with the most up-to-date firmware. Chances are you will get the latest and they will not purposely flash the unit with an older firmware. You can kinda look at it as a loophole to the system, but free firmware is something that SE service points should implement in their warranty policy.

So basically the dealer stance is they will not put new firmware if it ain't broke. I noticed that the certified service reps follow that policy, but direct SE service centers will do it for free. I would go back and bitch that your unit crashes and doesn't work properly because of known bugs in your current firmware and that the latest firmware was known to have cured those bugs. Which 9 / 10 times is a true case and point. I think they are charging you for their time to do it. If all else fails call SE and ship it to a direct service point.

But to this day I have not found any agreement papers that specifically sais that upgrades are not free. I think its information that they relay to their service reps. I would challenge them to show you documentation that sais that a firmware upgrade is EXCLUDED from your warranty. It's not a cosmetic facelift at all. Allmost every other piece of electronic hardware I can think of releases its firmware for free and alerts its public of that release. They do so because it's a neccessity to improve its products performance and reliability. And if a monetary charge is what it takes for you gain access to information that will improve and prevent your hardware/software from known and future bugs and kinks then I think we all have just been ripped off... Apparently not all of SE service centers share the sentiment.