wilykat:
DIP version probably won't come out. 64 pin DIP is the biggest package and those can be hard to insert or remove from breadboard. Someone did come up with a PCB to DIP package for ATMega2560.2560 pro mini are common on eBay and usually under $20 shipped to most places.
True but a small board with DIP form can act like a DIP. I would want at least 32KB external RAM and SD on-board on a 40-pin wide package and USB of course.
But compare to the newer Teensy 3.x boards with USB, SD and much RAM in the $30 range... I dunno if the 2560/61 can come in for significantly less. Maybe it doesn't have to, AVR pins are more robust/hobbyist friendly.
Anyhow I like the idea of a small board that can replace a DIP chip and add features, maybe hotrod the clock. Come to think, as long as the board it plugs in has USB, it don't have to!