Re: Perhaps
"se WiFi hotspot with laptop for connectivity"
I don't want to have to start carrying a laptop around.
"Root the thing and put an 'open' firmware on it."
That's what I've been doing for years, but what I actually want is to leave the Android ecosystem entirely. The security problems with the OS is half of the issue, the other half is the security problems with the apps.
I'm not saying that my approach is a solution for the masses. It's just for me.