Value -
Value is another very subjective topic. What is expensive to some might be a deal to others. You can look at this topic in multiple ways. One is raw price and the other is what you get for the money. Each is accurate and both are correct ways to look at price/value. We tend to look at features, performance and real-property when we discuss value. However, we also take into account the raw cash cost of the item.
The DashDrive Air AE400 runs about $55 from most online retailers. This is a fair price for the device, but it is not the full cost of owning it. Out of the box the AE400 is not much more than a Wi-Fi Bridge and external battery. This means that you will need to buy media; either a USB thmbdrive or an SD card. Depending on the capacity this can run you up to $300 extra (for a 256GB USB drive). So while the $55 is a nice price for a portable Wi-Fi bridge and charger, to add in the media player functions you are going to have to invest a little more. Because of this it reduces the perceived value of the AE400 for most consumers. If you already have a decent sized SD Card or Thumbdrive then this is a pretty good deal for you.

Conclusion -
The ADATA DashDrive Air AE400 is a nice product even if you only look at it as a battery and Wi-Fi bridge. The combination of basic Wi-Fi protection (NAT or Network Address Translation) and extended battery life make it worth the $55 you will pay for it. If you add in the ability to serve media to as many as 5 people (for 720p HD or below) along with that Internet Bridge then its usefulness increases. It is very portable so you can throw in in your pocket or laptop bag without any fear of taking up too much space. The DashDrive Air Elite App allows you to take advantage of the AE400 using your Android or iOS device (Sorry Windows Phone users for now). You can also connect to and configure the AE400 from your PC which adds another level of use to it (meaning it is not just for mobile phones and tablets). ADATA has a solid product with the AE400, but there is room for improvement in the app and also in the device (perhaps making it a little thinner would be a start. Still for $55 there is not much to complain about.

The ADATA DashDrive Air AE400 earns out Bronze key for its base value, but does not merit a higher award due to the need to purchase extra hardware to make it work as intended.

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