I think arduino should offer an Atmel Atmega1280 with arduino bootloader for sale. I also think that the people at Atmel should offer the Atmega1280 in a DIP package with the bootloader. That would make using arduino in permanent applications alot cheaper.
Patience, there are a ton of 3rd party companies designing Arduino compatible hardware. I'm sure something soon will fit your needs if not already available.
Lefty
Problem is a 100 pin DIP would be 5 inches long. You'd have to pound it into a protoboard with a hammer!
Yeah, I don't think any DIP packages come with that many pins (the most pins a DIP package has is around 40 if I remember). That said, if your soldering skill is solid, you could easily make an adapter board yourself.
i dont know, i just think its an ide, for the people who would want one... i am just not food at surface mount stuff, and plus its not proper for breadboard prototypes... idk... maybe there will be one someday...
Have you looked at the Teensy++? Teensy USB Development Board
If offers the same memory as the Mega, with nearly as many pins, in a much smaller form factor. It can be had with or without headers installed. With headers, it plugs neatly into a breadboard. Without headers, you can connect wires to the through-holes.
There is an Arduino IDE addin that allows programming the Teensy++ just like an Arduino.