Thanks for your suggestions.  I have some answers and still some more questions.

Please note that this will only be my first Android device, not my last.

I'll go with Android 2.3.  Most users are still on version 2.3.3 or earlier, and an app designed for Android 2.3 will work better on an Anroid 4.0 device than vice versa.  By the time Android 4.0 takes over, tablets and smartphones should be cheaper and/or much better.

I'm still not clear on why I should buy a smartphone instead of a tablet.  I already have a dumbphone that I'm not even fully utilizing.  

My tentative plan is to buy an Android 2.3 tablet now and buy an Android 4.0 smartphone later on.  I'm sure that by the time Android 4.0 takes over or I outgrow my dumbphone, smartphones will be cheaper and/or much better.

What do you think?

-- 
Jason Hsu <jhsu802701 at jasonhsu.com>