Hi, all.

First of all, thanks to akina81 for starting this thread back in 2004. Also thanks to all contributors of this thread. You all have really shed light on AP vs original issues and help normal people like us from being cheated. I hope there are still people out there who are willing to help me with my questions.

I want to buy SE Experia X8, and like others how wrote in this forum, was not sure either to choose AP or original set. I was offered RM470 for AP set, and RM560 for original set. There's RM90 difference, and I can buy a lot of milk for my son for RM90.   

After reading the thread (not all), I have made the following conclusions, and those conclusion rise a few more questions:

1. AP set is distributed not by authorize distributor of SE.
- How come non authorize distributor of SE can distribute SE product in Malaysia? Is this legal? Didn't SE file complaints?
- If you can distribute SE product in Malaysia without SE approval, then why do you want to pay extra money to SE just to be authorized dealers?
- If AP sets are not bought from SE, then where does it come from? It was mentioned in some thread that AP phone were brought from other company in other countries. So, where does this foreign company get their supply from? If they get supply from SE, then isn't AP is also original SE product?

2. Most AP product also have SIRIM approval.
- How does these companies get SIRIM approval? Do they send their product to SIRIM for approval before sell it to customers or does SIRIM randomly check a few product and give them as many SIRIM sticker as they want, then put the stickers by themselves?

3. AP warranty is not from SE, even though the warranty period is the same (1 year).
- Is this a very big deal? Usually, if my phone broke within warranty period, I will sent it back to the original shop where I bought the phone for repair, because the authorize service center is so far from where I live.
- What is the probabality of AP phone broke within warranty period, and what is the probabality of ori phone broke within warranty period?
- If the phone broke after warranty period, you have to pay for repair no matter if your phone is AP or ori, right?

4. For AP set, IMEI no in HP (check using *#06#) may not be the same as on the sticker on the HP.
- Is this always true? 2-3 years back, I bought SE K770i AP set. Check IMEI: same in phone and sticker on phone. Last week, i bought my wife SE Hazel AP set, again check IMEI no and again the number is the same in phone and on sticker. Even EMEI no on box is the same. Can anybody comment on this?

5.  Authorize distributor of SE in Malaysia are T-Choice, Grandtech, Midlands and Thorus, but they didn't distribute ALL types of SE models.
- Can anybody tell me, who are the authorize distributor of SE Experia X8? Some say Midlands, but when go to  Midlands Website, no SE Experia X8 on their list. Can't find any website for T-Choice, Grandtech or Thorus to check.

6. It is safe to buy AP set as long as we are careful, and follow guide by marquis on the first page of this thread.
Any opinion on this?

This questions is raised because I don't want to throw away my hard earn money to pay for the things that are not necessary. But, if the money is worth paying, I will pay.

Thanks to any respone.