You need to replace such flap if you want to put into water. Very high chance water will slip in. It cost about RM 35 to change it

YES - at authorised service center. The RM 35 was for the Xperia Z and I supposed is same for this phone too. Warranty is NOT covered on any loosen flaps

YES ; just use VRoot v 1.7 to root it. Rooting will NEVER EVER brick phone, and any Android phone for that matter. Flashing a wrong firmware will brick

You must be using those cheap SP if it cover your sensor. I am using Niilkin SP n never faced such issues

Niilkin SP from garage sales or eBay
So far unaware any backcase that will not block /hinder the magnetic charging points. I trim slightly off the edges of my Niilkin hard plastic backcase to fit

Rooting this is the EASIEST of all android phones
What step by step guide you want ??
Just go download the Vroot program
Connect phone to PC
Run the Vroot program and it will auto root . How difficult can that be. Some guy here even say a standard one pupil can even do it
Make sure you install the Sony USB phone drivers first - refer page 1 for details

Rooting will NEVER EVER brick your phone or any other android phone. Worse scenario you fail to root only
Standard you must select debugging enabled in developer options
Where got many steps ???

Don't be a cheapskate. You can afford to buy a RM2k phone and not willing to pay for apps which is so cheap ( usually less than US$5). Do support the developer who has put in effort to develop the games or apps

I don't understand ?? "Note: It will not appear if you use your fingers to bring down the notification area". Mine always appear even pulling it down with fingers - lah !!

I think this is related to the display quality. I have been accessing this since day one and the recommendation that only use pencil is indeed very strange. As far as I am aware Sony used up to 3 manufacturer for their Xperia series display

LTE not enabled. You however only get a LTE model 6833 firmware.

I am comfortable with Note3 display size though is smaller than XZU.

Got mine online from dx-box.com

Because of its waterproofing there is extra membrane on phone speakers. No choice but to accept this weakness.

Correct

Maildroid or the more featured K9 Mail. Both these app beat the default mail app. You canbuae the free version if you do not wish to pay. No expiry date on free version

Don't n I repeat Don't ever consider XZU if you want to write with pencil. It is a hopeless feature. I guaranteed you will want to throw the phone on the wall if you tried to write more than a sentence. Scribbling short few words is tolerable.
I have commented before if I give Note2 a score of 10 for accuracy n speed the XZU will score below 2. Compared with Note3 it gets a negative 5 now.

Those who bought the SBH52 headset how is the battery life ??

Different user different perspective. I also owned both phones n I rate the Note3 display above XZU. Just be happy with your own decision.

Ipad mini resolution is terribly poor. I dump it after a month usage when I compared it with the previous N7. As I read lots of ebooks the ipad mini just fail to cut it