Pump Audio Earphones- The Best in the World earphone Review!

Pump Audio Earphones.

What with New Years resolutions so many of you are now already on your new healthy kick; not just with your diets but with exercise too and what better way to enjoy your exercise than with your favorite music through a great pair of earphones or headphones.

Today Ive something for those of you that are after great quality earphones; either to exercise with or use on a daily basis.

I was kindly contacted by Pump Audio to ask if I would like to try their new Pump Audio earphones with the massive claim of 

"The Best in the World!"

  They ARE better than Dr beats.

How could I say no to trying the BEST earphones in the world. 

So I took the PUMP challenge!

Please see my photo-loaded review after the jump!

Pump Audio are the specialist earphone division of Speedcam systems who specialize in high quality electronics that are excellent value for money and have a great user experience.

I'm not really a lover of in-ear earphones, as small ones have irritated my inner ears in the past so I had stopped using them. 

But I just had to give these guys a go and they looked so good too.

Packaging

The Pumps arrived in a cardboard box with a book-like front cover; which you open to a transparent window which reveals your Pumps. The Pumps then slide out on a plastic tray. To be honest I expected classier packaging for £99 earphones; especially with no pouch to keep them in, sometimes you can use the box, but this would be to big; but then I suppose it does keep some production costs down.....

Whats in the box;

• Pumps showing jack plug and inline microphone.
• 3 sets of earbuds inc 2 spare different sized earbuds.

Description

Pump believe they have created "The Best Earphones in the World" with unparallelled quality, unmatched sound with no expense spared in the development and the construction of these Pumps.

They are designed for "premium" audio playback with incredible bass and crisp clean highs only heard on serious sound systems. So with one style and 2 colours they chose not to become a fashion company.

• Frequency range 20hz-24500hz.
• Sensitivity - 102 dB.
• Impedance - 18 ohms.
• Complete noise isolation.
• Specially tuned ear-buds for small, regular and large ear canals.
• Specially tuned weight - 15g.
• 3.5mm gold connector jack inline microphone.
• Water resistant aluminum casting.

Use
So...are these gorgeous bright orange earphones "The Best in the world"?

I do not claim to be an Audiophile but I have over the years got to learn so much more about sound quality through reviewing many speakers and headphones and I know what I like. Plus I can certainly tell many subtle differences between brands. So I will try my best to explain why I really LOVE these earphones.

Design
I love the bright orange colour but it also comes in black too if this is too garish for you. For me its lovely to find some different coloured earphones to the normal black or silver...yay... even the aluminum casing has a metallic orange finish.

The backs for the earphones have an etched sun design; which catches the light and sparkles every now and then, making you think they have put in crystals instead...very clever.

You have 51 inches...yes I said 51 inches of cable to play with; how many of you find your earphones too short from your phone or MP3 player. 

I also love the smooth, flat, bright orange silicon/rubberized cable, making it less likely to get tangled up.

The soft supple ear-buds are so comfortable and felt completely stable within my ear and found even with moving around they were certainly not going to fall out, they felt soft, smooth and secure.

Sound Quality

Well I have to say....WOW....they are amazing, obviously I haven't tried every high quality earphone ever made so I cant compare these 100% BUT I have tried Dr beats earphones in the past and I feel these have a much richer and more immersive quality to them.

If you have a £20 MP3 player and have downloaded poor quality music files you are not going to get the FULL benefit of such a quality product; but you can certainly improve the sound quality from any device with these Pumps. 

I was in a total world of bliss with the amount of sumptuous bass being produced, silky smooth with just a hint of reverberation, just as it should be, allowing you to dip your hearing toe in the water and relax, without some BOOM BOOM shark swimming over and messing up your day.

What surprised me more was as I went to speak to my other half that I could barely hear my own voice over the music from my earphones. So I can completely vouch for the noise isolation and have to say this was a real bonus for me as Im often sitting up in bed catching up on my favorite YouTube videos with my Nexus 10; while my other half watches TV.
 

 Inline microphone

Phone calls
The music cuts out immediately you get an incoming call on your phone and allows you to answer without having to go mooching for your phone in your bag. Then once the call ends it continues with your music where it left off...just brilliant! Voices are clear and sharp too.
The fact its water resistant is perfect too, great for joggers out in all weathers and those of you hiking and want a bit of music for inspiration as you trek across the Himalayas or Hyde park lol!
The 51 inch length that you get with these is a real bonus; Ive had so many pairs of earphones and headphones that are way too short this has the luxury of the added length to tuck in and under coat, jackets shirts and t-shirts with still enough left to move around comfortably.

Opinion
Do I love my Pumps...absolutely; are they the best in the world, I cant say that but I can say they are one of the best earphones Ive EVER tried.
I love the bright orange colour it really makes you smile when you get them out, the fact you have 3 sets of earbuds for different size ear canals is a real bonus, you could also share them too this way. The Pumps are excellent build quality and feel great to touch, you can feel the quality emanating from them!
As for the sound WOW it really is gorgeous and what amazing bass...you know I love my bass...its all about the bass...no treble...! (yes there is treble)
The sound is so crisp, clear and rich and I cant even show you what they sound like; so you will have to take my word for it.

My only niggle is that I feel they should have come with a small pouch or case to keep them all together. Afterall you have 51 inches of cable to keep from getting tangled in your bag. Plus those little earbuds could easily go walkabout being so small and you want to keep them all clean and hygienic too when carrying them around in your bag like me.

The price...I realize they are not the cheapest earbuds but...are they worth it...yes I would say they are. I was really taken with the sound quality from my Samsung S4 as it only has 1 speaker so of course it sounded amazing through these babies; especially after I cranked up the bass...it was so yummy I love them! Plus you are getting a 5 year replacement warranty so just add up how many pairs of earphones you could have bought in 5 years; Im sure it will be alot more than £99.
Pumps would make a great quality gift for anyone who loves their bassey music, but don't expect them to sit and chat once they on, they will be immersed in their awesome music experience.

Will you take the Pump challenge?

Pro's

• Great colours black and orange.
• Super long length cable.
• Noise isolation.
• Water resistant.
• Amazing deep bass.
• Crisp, clear sound.
• Inline microphone.
• 5 year PUMP full replacement Warranty. (only applies to purchases directly from Pump Audio not from retailers).

Con's

• I would have loved a pouch to keep all my Pump and spare buds in.

You can buy your own Pump Audio earphones and take the Pump challenge in Orange or black from Pump Audio directly.

£99

All my thanks goes to Pump Audio for sending me a sample free of charge. All my views and opinions are my own and I was not paid for this review.

Thanks for popping by see ya soon.

Time of Death Book 1 Induction and Book 2 Asylum by Shana Festa Book Reviews.

 Time of Death Book 1 Induction and 

Time of Death Book 2 Asylum
By Shana Festa

I just discovered Shana Festa through her amazing site The Bookie Monster and she kindly sent me both her Time of Death books to read.

 One of my all time favorite authors Mark Tufo also recommended this book and wrote a great forward to Book 1 Induction; Shana's very first book and of course he was absolutely right.

Blurb
When no one or nowhere is safe, where do you go to escape the monsters?

In a few short days, 37 year old Emma Rossi’s hard work will finally pay off. She will don her cap and gown and graduate with a degree in nursing, but not before she loses her first patient and is confronted with a new reality. In Cape Coral, Florida, a storm approaches. The dead are coming back to life.

And they’re hungry.

Infection ravages the Eastern Seaboard with alarming speed while attempts to contain the spread of infection fail. Within days, a small pocket of panicked survivors are all that remain of civilization. Fighting to survive the zombie apocalypse alongside her husband Jake and their dog Daphne, Emma comes face-to-face with her worst nightmare.
Relying on snarky wit and sheer determination, she is forced to commit atrocious acts to protect her family and avoid joining the ranks of the undead.

The difference with this read is you finally have a female main character that is a kick ass, dog loving student nurse after my own heart with a great sense of humor. Emma Rossi is a brilliant well defined character who is definitely the female version of Mike Talbot from Zombie Fallout (those of you that are zombie-aholics will not need anymore explanation). Like Mike in ZF I found myself laughing out loud with her witty wisecracks and fab sense of humor; but also feeling the fear and sorrow in others, its the sign of a great writer to make you feel so many emotions. You can tell Shana's own medical knowledge as she allows Emma to show her medical expertise throughout. Emma is so realistic and reminds me of me when I was nurse training with their jokes with certain patients.
Daphne the Yorkie is another fab character...yes a dog can have character...before you all yell at me...sheesh! Shana has named the dog after her own pet dog at home; which of course I love but I have been living in fear of her being eaten alive...every time I turn the page... Shana...what you doing to me eeep!
My only niggle was I found Jake to be the weaker, more annoying character so I hope we get to see him step up more in book 2.

So what starts as a familiar day as a student nurse; turns into a apocalyptic chaos with Emma and Jake her husband fighting for their survival. If zombies ar'nt enough they have a hurricane to worry about too.
We get to see them reunite with other members of the Rossi family and also have to act on horrific acts to stay alive which would have been unthinkable the day before. Its a fast paced convincing, realistic gory read you simply cannot put down to the end. They found sanctuary on Sanibel Island where they all finally found safety and could relax without fear; but it only takes 1 person to change everything!
I'm just about to start book 2 as I just cant stop reading, I need to know what happens next...right now!

Time of death Book 2 Asylum

Blurb
Surviving the journey is just the beginning.
The last two months have brought nothing but death and destruction for Emma Rossi. She survived the initial zombie outbreak with her husband, Jake, and their dog, Daphne, but the cost was steep: Sanibel has fallen.

In a world where the only constant is change, the group is pushed to their limits before reaching the gates of Asylum, a coastal stronghold in Sarasota, Florida.
Once again, Emma must navigate an apocalyptic wasteland filled with relentless hordes of the undead and other menacing horrors that threaten her survival.

Only thing is certain. No one is safe from what lurks on either side of Asylum's gates. Asylum may offer more than just safety.
Sanity will be tested; and many won't live to tell the tale.


The Rossi's have only just escaped Sanibel and find themselves back to life on a boat. More deaths more very close shaves as they continue to fight for their lives Daphne included...phewey....thank goodness.

We get to meet some new fab characters. Striker a tough cop who helps them get to safety or is it....? The Asylum is a large group of survivors who are living together, run by creepy Mack the self promoted president of US who Emma discovers has the basement off limits. Yeah it'd drive me nuts too but curiosity killed the cat an all...it maybe the best idea to leave it alone but....hey it wouldn't be an exciting, scary e-read if you weren't yelling at the screen....don't do it.
I love this book as Shana isn't scared to kill off popular characters...loving the shock value; she has alot of new characters that stand well by themselves making it so realistic as we are swept along on a compelling and intriguing read too. Why do only some parts of the Asylum have electric, why are the men separated to work during the day.
Those of you that love Walking dead will find this on a similar line to Woodbury or The terminus you know something is wrong but don't know what...yet...!
I'm also gutted Em and Jake are at loggerheads as he is working with the other guys; so hopefully book three brings them back together...I'm gagging for book 3 now with a brilliant cliffhanger; what have Em and Meg have stumbled across and have they been rumbled too; is Jasper friend or foe....so many questions...I cant wait!

I would highly recommend reading book 1 Induction first so you can appreciate Asylum so much better and you would get to know the characters more deeply too. Its so refreshing to have a female main character as most authors seems scared to go to there with horror and you've made it work beautifully with a great balance of toughness and femininity.

Keep up the fab writing Shana..Im hooked!

Author Bio

Shana Festa was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on October 17, 1976 and grew up in Northboro, Massachusetts. She currently lives in Cape Coral, Florida with her husband and two dogs, Daphne & Casey.
Shana is a registered nurse with clinical experience in mental health, geriatrics, HIV and substance abuse. In addition to her clinical background, Shana possesses over 15 years of experience with project management and data analytics.
She has been heavily involved in the collection and dissemination of the ICD-10 clinical and coding analytics across multiple projects including the NCHICA ICD-10 Pilot, the HIMSS WEDI ICD-10 Pilot and commercial testing programs.
Under her alter ego, The Bookie Monster, Shana reviews horror and paranormal books, with an emphasis on (but not limited to) zombie fiction. With a background in Psych Nursing, Shay brings her unique perspective to the online reading community.

All my thanks goes to the lovely Shana for sending these books for this review.

My views and opinions are my own.

Review coming soon.

The Gerp now grips anything with a tripod mount; checkout the new Kickstarter campaign!

The Gerp Reinvented!
Introducing the worlds most versatile grip, stand and mount to enhance and unite your digital devices.

If you've been following me over the last few years (if not why not ;-) you will have seen my review for a product I fell in love with and still using today.... The Gerp!

  The Gerp
I didn't know how they could possibly improve on this brilliant design but they have...drumroll...they have now added a tripod mount to the end of the grip...genius!

 See "both" ends in use, one end suckered securely to the windscreen the other attached to the GoPro and the smartphone via the tripod mount.

Many of you "Gerpologists" are already using the Gerp in so many ways; now you have the opportunity to use the Gerp on almost any device that has a tripod mount!

 My Samsung galaxy S4 is securely attached to the large ergonomic grip which reminds me of a motorbike handle/pistol grip and takes the weight off your devices; especially if your holding it for a longer length of time.This helps prevent Repetitive Strain Injury and other disabling problems.

Want to know more then checkout my original review 
(without the tripod mount) 
 HERE .

Imagine how good it will be with the added tripod base.

 

It genuinely feels super cool to hold; very James/Jane Bond and its a guaranteed conversation starter.
Ergonomic, lightweight, durable, waterproof and super fun to use as you run round attaching it to anything and everything to see if it will sucker to it...ok maybe that just me then... ;-)

 You will see from my original Gerp review it securely holds my S4, Nexus 10 and Kindle, even a tray holder for your yummy eclairs.

Yes you know me well...even a tray...of....cakes....yummm!!!!

So why am I doing another post; well The brilliant Gerp team have improved the design and now you are getting a 2 for one Mount; So you not only have the incredible features of the original Gerp but the brand NEW tripod mount too.

 See how you can now attach your video or action cam and have a solid stabilized secure grip to film.

Just look at all the devices this genius of a grip will hold; if it has a flat back or a tripod mount The versatile Gerp will grip it!
Plus you have the choice to get a GoPack so you can use the Gerp Mount with many more devices; what more could you want.

Everyone who owns a phone, camera or action cam NEEDS this incredibly simple, cool looking, versatile gadget to be able to use your device comfortably anywhere indoors and out.

One grip for all!


 
A $1 means you will be part of this campaign and for $25 you can be one of the very 1st to receive the brand NEW first run of The Gerp Mount.

Go checkout their NEW Kickstarter Gerp Campaign and grab yourselves your very own Gerp and the Gopack of accessories.

Will you get a Grip on your Gadgets? 

Good luck to the Gerp team you so deserve every success with this already amazing gadget!

Just look at the brilliant Pledge rewards you can get below; there is a price range for everyone that want's to be involved.

Griffin Survivor Phone case Bumper review and Give-away!

Win 1 of these luxury cases by Griffin!

Without...my...phone of course ;-)

Griffin kindly sent a collection of their phone cases for me to show you guys with their doubles; so I can also give some lucky readers a case each too.

The Survivor Skin

Survivor All Terrain case.

The Reveal

 (For Samsung S4 phone owners only).

 Griffin technology was founded by Paul Griffin on his kitchen table in 1992 and is today one of the foremost creators of accessories for home, mobile, and personal technology. Unique products such as the itrip, Powermate, iFM, iMic and Evolves Wireless speaker system have broken new ground in consumer electronics.

Today Griffin products are conceived, designed and developed in-house and continue to push the industry forward that they themselves created.

Click the jump to see my full photo-loaded reviews and see how you can get your hands on one of these cases.

I received 3 popular cases from Griffin to show you all.
Ill go through each case individually as they are very different from each other and would suit various people.
But if you just popped on here to to find out how to get your hands on one yourself skip to the end to find out how.

  The Survivor Skin

The Survivor Skin

These two cases are made of extra thick silicone which wraps firmly around the phone, protecting the back, sides and edges from bumps, jolts and scratches.

 The cardboard packaging has a clear perspex window with a small cutout to touch the silicone to feel how soft it is. It states on the front that it is designed to meet and exceed US military standards for a 6 foot drop and cope with vibrations.

This really is a thick layer of soft smooth silicon and the honeycomb interior really gives the phone support. You can see just how deep the silicon layer is by looking at my reset button depth (Bottom left image).
It has a gorgeous squidgyness to the case and feel it would definitely bounce rather than land like a splat.

You have extreme protection for your phone while all the ports are still fully accessible as you can see from the images above.

The silicon is smooth on the back of the case but the buttons on the front and the sides all have extra checkerboard texturing for extra grip when your hands maybe cold or wet.

 I love how the case completely envelops the phone with the top and bottom lip fitting over onto the front screen itself. Giving approximately 3mm of height to give perfect cushioning if you lay your phone screen down on a surface it keep the screen lifted away from most surfaces.

 I also love the fact that the main home button on the bottom plus either sides of this are covered by silicon and you don't lose any responsiveness either with this. The side power on and volume rocker buttons are also enclosed, the rubber makes it so easy to grip your phone so its less likely to slip from your grip with wet or clutzy hands.

I adore this gorgeous blue colour and really adds something different to my normally black phone.

 I haven't yet dropped my phone from 6 foot to check this fact (sorry guys) but I feel confident that this case would save my phone from a 6 foot fall with all its extra silicone cladding. Its one of the thickest most padded cases Ive ever owned (along with the Survivor All terrain coming up).

Do you want to get your hands on one of these cases, do you like the look for this for your phone. Then read on to see how!

 The Reveal

The Reveal
I absolutely love this little case as its so unusual. If you like the colour of your naked phone as it is; but are still worried its doesn't have enough protection; then the Reveal is for you.
Perfect for phone owners who have the lovely gold, silver or coloured battery backs; these look gorgeous but don't offer your phone much protection.Well now you can have the best of both worlds.
The clear polycarbonate back allows your naked phone to shine through. If you are like me and have bought a brightly coloured battery back for your S4 and need the protection but don't want to cover over the gorgeous colour; then the Reveal is just perfect.

The cardboard packaging has the same black and orange Griffin styling and design with transparent plastic window front to see the case. You again have the small circle to touch the case through the hole.

This slimfit phone case is a one piece design and is just over a millimeter in thickness; offering you a barely there feel for those that prefer that.

The thin shell has rubber edging which surrounds your phone to cushion the sides and give you firm grip. The clear polycarbonate back also has a good thickness for added protection too. The camera and flash have one cutout and its thickness adds excellent protection to the protruding camera lens and speaker port (one of my S4 pet hates).

Allows full access to screen, controls and the ports. The power on and volume rocker buttons have the rubber over buttons for ease of use with wet or cold hands.

This has to be one of my favorite cases as I can still have full protection for my phone without having to cover my brightly coloured turquoise aluminum battery cover.

Griffin kindly gave me this Blue edged version of the Reveal case to give away for one of you!

If you want the chance to win this case scroll to the bottom.

If you work in harsher environments and need a heavier dutycase then look no further see The Survivor All terrain case case see below.

Survivor All Terrain case.

The Survivor Military-Duty Case

This is the ideal case for those of you that have contacted me saying you work in harsher conditions, garages, farms, factories or just a clutzy......lol!

This 4 piece phone case has been designed and tested to meet and exceed US department of defense Standard 810G. Built from the inside out to protect your phone from extreme conditions, dust, sand, wind, rain, shock and vibrations....but does it...read on?

 The cardboard packaging is similar across the various cases with a good diagram on the back to explain the layers of the case.

 Here you have the 4 layers, the first is the super chunky belt clip and phone stand. The main case is divided into 3, you see this by the different colours blue and black, two arrive joined together but they can come apart if you wish...although not sure why you would want to pull them apart. The last layer is your complete full coverage screen cover. These clip on and enclose around your phone for super protection.

The back of the case

 The whole case is quite squidgy but extremely firm in your hand and you know your phone will be quite safe from a high fall, knock or bang.

Features
This case has been thoroughly tested so you have the confidence to use it.

• This case is built of shatter resistant polycarbonate frame clad in rugged shock absorbing silicon.
• Independently tested to meet US department of defense MIL-STD-810.
• Front screen protector deflects wind and rain (Test: up to 200mm/hr for 1 hour).
• The rigid frame protects against shocks and drops and has been tested by being dropped on flat concrete surface from 6"/1.8m.
• The black soft silicone cladding blocks vibration (Test: for 18 hours at 20 to 2000Hz).
• Sealed ports block (Test -blown sand and dust up to 18m/sec for an hour).
• Multiposition clip attaches securely to pack strap or belt.

When you get your case it arrives with full fitting instructions, thats easy to understand.

Here you can see just how chunky the case is compared to the edges of my phone with its double layering of polycarbonate and silicon. Completely cladding and cushioning my phone all the way round.

The final layer is your full coverage screen protector; this clips on via its 7 clips.

These clips do feel a little flimsy but once clipped on the whole case supports itself and your phone! This screen deflects wind and rain from your actual phone and you can use the touchscreen normally with no problems.

Doesn't it look amazing.

The case has 3 hinged silicon doors which seal in the camera & flash together, the earphone socket and the charging port.

This is just brilliant in protecting the S4's camera as it protrudes from the actual phone (if you've read my previous S4 posts you will know its a pet hate of mine). The case thickness is 0.7cm depth which gives you the full protection all round.

 I love that this case also comes with a detachable multiposition belt or bag clip; this chunky solid full length clip swivels to fit any direction.

It has a heavy duty metal and plastic hinge which clips securely onto the case and attaches to your belt or bag.
This clever clip also doubles as an excellent solid phone stand to watch videos, take video calls or just surf from your phone. It really is good.

A slight niggle is that the silicon is an absolute dust magnet the minute its out of the box. The volume button is a bit tough to use as the silicon is so thick. 

BUT these are the only tradeoffs to have full protection for your phone from extreme conditions!
Be aware too this case is rain and splash proof but isn't entirely waterproof.

This gorgeous rugged case however is so easy to grip and almost grips you right back. No more phones slipping from your grasp when your hands are wet or cold. It will protect your phone from rain, dirt, shock, vibration and bumps and scratches and you never have to worry where you lay your phone down again. Plus Im confident this case will protect my phone from a high drop onto concrete as those side edges have a really squidgy and foamy feel. Its the thickest most padded cases Ive ever owned.

Don't forget Griffin do these cases for many other phones too and I have to stress what excellent quality and great design all three styles of cases are.

 

They even do this colour for the girls too in pink

GIVE-AWAY

So the bit you've all been waiting for the chance to win one of these cases.
Ive 4 of these to give away.
Apologies as they will ONLY fit a SAMSUNG S4 phone so please don't enter if you have another make of phone sorry :-).

Treat yourself or treat a friend who has the Samsung S4 phone!

All you have to do is to let me know which Griffin case you would like and why?
Email me on gadgetgirlsreviews1@gmail.com
or leave a comment below.

Applicable to the UK only!  

The Reveal (Blue)          The Survivor all terrain (black).

The Survivor Skin in Black and Blue

Don't forget to leave your email address if you leave a comment below where I can contact you if you win.

Competition Closes 31st January 2015

 Please be aware applicable to the UK only...sorry! 




All my thanks goes to Griffin Technology for sending me these cases for review and sponsoring this give-away.
All my views and opinions are my own.