We received the Hercules Mobile DJ unit and were impressed with its ergonomic construction and miniaturization of essential DJ equipment. While the $99 device is by no means a replacement for professional equipment, it definitely can add that "something extra" to the your summer party.

The Mobile DJ comes with three components: controller, USB dongle, and software. The main controller measures 6x7x1.5-inches and is sturdily constructed. If you're a DJ, you'll be pleased to know that the usual buttons such as the cross-fader, volume sliders, cue buttons, and play/pause buttons are easily accessible and easy to operate. There are even two jog wheels that can skip or scratch your tracks. There is even an "automix" allowing for seamless playback of your music playlist. The controller also has an LCD screen displaying the current track as well as the other tracks residing on your computer.

The USB dongle authenticates the copy of the Mobile DJ Software and even has an extension in case it needs to dangle behind your primary devices.

The software is really what makes this device worth the money. Upon initial install, the software asks if you want to import your iTunes library or manually add songs. While the import takes a while to complete, it's the best choice if you have a large variety of music that you want to mix. However, if you want to focus on a few select songs and create the ultimate mix, we found that the drag and drop feature works quite well. The software is pretty much identical to the physical controller making for easy navigation but adds a few more features such as turntable brake effects. We do wish some of the features such as an equalizer were available on the controller, but we were happy with it nonetheless. We were a little disappointed that the software only runs on Windows though as we had hoped for cross platform compatibility.

Hercules claims that the Mobile DJ has a range of 20 feet, and that is mostly true. Even when we went further away, it didn't affect the playing track and as soon as we came back into range we were able to regain control almost immediately.

We really enjoyed this product. While we stress that this is device should by no means replace professional equipment, it gives hobbyists or curious individuals the ability to have a device that does the basics. It serves as a party novelty and also could be used as a learning platform for someone interested in DJ-ing. Perfect gift for your Grad or your Dad! MSRP: $100 http://www.hercules.com/us/DJ-Music/bdd/p/15/mobile-dj-mp3/