GSM dongle in GSM-less tablet = tabphone?

[Fallingwater]

Step 1: buy cheap 7" Android tablet
Step 2: buy cheap bluetooth headset
Step 3: buy cheap GSM dongle
Step 4: ???
Step 5: enjoy a relatively cheap mobile phone with a proper multitasking OS that doesn't frustrate me with a tiny screen like, oh, every other bloody phone I've ever tried.

Space is not a problem (I have big pockets and bags and fanny packs and whatnot), and neither are device connections (I'm good at hardware hacking), but step 4 is. Namely, how do I get that GSM dongle to work under Android, and can the system behave as a cell phone when that is done?

Note that buying the ready-made option (a Samsung Galaxy Tab) is out of the question due to excessive price.

 

[cronos]

Not saying that this is the best option, but have you heard of Dell Streak 7?

http://www.streaksmart.com/2011/02/...n-phone-functions-can-sort-of-make-calls.html

The community will definitely make sure that this thing can make phone calls very soon.

 

[Fallingwater]

Were I ok with spending all that money I'd just get a Galaxy Tab that can do it now and without hacking. But there's a reason the word "cheap" figures prominently on all those links in the first post...

 

[cronos]

The only reason I mentioned this is I thought that Galaxy Tab is like $600+. Am I mistaken?

This is only about $450 and it came out only a few days ago. Wait a month or two and it will probably go down to $350 or less (the 5" version did have its price reduced significantly quick), and by that time the community will have a mature firmware for it ready to go too.

And to answer your question in the OP, your step 4 is not as simple as you seem to think. Unless you have the know-how to hack these things to work together yourself, I don't think the community (I'm sure you know that I'm referring to XDA/Modaco/etc) will find it worth the effort for to work on something like this when there are better options out there that's not exactly that much more money. Not to mention they are from known brand to boot.

 

[Pliablemoose]

nook color, Virgin Mobile http://www.virginmobileusa.com/cell...phone.jsp?intcmp=p-hp-mps1-optimusvday-020811

Root both & WiFi tether the nook & optimus $400 & $25/month no contract