Interesting.
Yep I have tried a metaboard, which allows you to run Arduino code, and you can PROGRAM over USB with no extra hardware, but you can't use Serial.print or .read, which is a major downer.
Yep might have to start looking at SMD chips. I was thinking more for "final" projects, so don't really want to go down the breakout path.
I wonder if the metaboard which uses the V-USB firmware could be made to talk serial over USB - I'd put up a $50 bounty for anyone could do that - I'm sure others would contribute too...