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Cute & Funny USB Drives (Perfect Gifts!)

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USB drives have come a long way from the plain, boring sticks we used a decade ago. Today, they’re faster, smarter, more stylish — and in many cases, downright adorable. Whether you’re looking for a high‑speed portable SSD for work, a fun novelty USB for gifting, or a cute accessory that doubles as storage, Amazon Australia has an incredible range to choose from.

These novelty USB drives are best‑sellers because they’re fun, affordable, and make great gifts for teachers, students, coworkers, and kids.

Looking for a reliable USB drive or a fun, quirky one that makes the perfect gift? Whether you need fast storage for work, a portable SSD for your phone, or a novelty USB stick that makes everyone smile, this curated list brings together the best USB drives available on Amazon Australia right now.

Top USB Drives to Buy on Amazon Australia

  1. Turtle‑Shaped 32GB USB Flash Drive

Adorable, durable, and guaranteed to get compliments.

👉 https://link.amazon/B0gJKLaFS

The Best Cute, Funny & High‑Speed USB Drives in Australia (2026 Buyer’s Guide)

From high‑performance 1TB SSDs to adorable turtle‑shaped flash drives, this guide covers the top picks for students, teachers, creators, office workers, and anyone who loves practical tech with personality.

Whether you want serious performance or serious cuteness, there’s something here for every personality and purpose. If you need high‑speed, high‑capacity storage, choose the OSCOO 1TB Portable SSD.

If you want fun, memorable gifts, choose any of the cute novelty USB drives — they’re affordable, adorable, and guaranteed to spark joy.

2. LED Light Bulb USB Flash Drive (8GB)

A clever design with a glowing LED — great for creatives and tech lovers.

👉 https://link.amazon/B05LbknM8

3. Cartoon Skeleton 32GB USB Flash Drive

A quirky, funny design that stands out on any desk.

👉 https://link.amazon/B0b330CGh

4. Pink Coffee Cup USB Flash Drive (32GB)

Perfect for teachers, students, and coffee lovers.

👉 https://link.amazon/B0igNpFiu

5. PU Leather Bracelet USB Flash Drive (64GB)

A stylish wearable USB — practical and fashionable.

👉 https://link.amazon/B0e0qXFxk

6.Funny Thumb‑Shaped USB Flash Drive (64GB)

A hilarious gag gift that’s surprisingly useful.

👉 https://link.amazon/B0i3COoge

7. Retractable Plastic USB Flash Drive (32GB)

Cute, compact, and great for everyday use.

👉 https://link.amazon/B05wjRwG8

8. Chocolate Popsicle USB Flash Drive (64GB)

Looks delicious — works brilliantly.

👉 https://link.amazon/B07uUgbyK

9. Cartoon Cat USB Flash Drive (32GB)

A favourite among students and cat lovers.

👉 https://link.amazon/B097be0EB

10. Cute Rabbit USB Flash Drive (64GB)

Soft pastel colours and a sweet design.

👉 https://link.amazon/B04JKi3Sy

11. Pink Piggy USB Flash Drive (64GB)

A lovely gift for kids and friends.

👉 https://link.amazon/B01YEdfwl

12. Clown Fish USB Flash Drive (2GB)

Small, cute, and perfect for light storage.

👉 https://link.amazon/B0gtLm2ME

13. SANDISK Crayola USB‑C Flash Drive (128GB)

A reliable brand + a fun crayon design.

    Fast 300MB/s read speeds and USB‑C compatibility make this ideal for modern devices.

    👉 https://link.amazon/B0dVUza3s

    1. OSCOO 1TB Portable SSD – Ultra‑Fast Storage for Work, Travel & Creators

    If you need speed + massive storage, this is the standout pick.

    Key features:

    • Up to 1100MB/s transfer speeds
    • USB‑C + USB‑A dual ports
    • Works with iPhone 15/16, Android, Mac, Windows
    • Sleek push‑pull design
    • Perfect for photographers, videographers, students & professionals

    👉 Check it out on Amazon AU: https://link.amazon/B0g9flzdI

    Even with cloud storage everywhere, USB drives remain essential for, Fast offline file transfers, Secure backups without internet, sharing documents between devices, Storing photos, videos, and schoolwork and fun personalised gifts for kids, teachers, and coworkers

    right here right now!

    This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which help support the blog at no extra cost to you.

    Top Video and Audio Conferencing Software for Business in 2020

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    "best

    Covid has brought upon us the work from home generation and this culture is likely here to stay or get absorbed into the new working culture. With these current “do everything from home” circumstances, has come the rise of the new business productivity apps. If you are looking for the top video conferencing app for your business needs, our list and comparison below will point you in the right direction.

    Zoom the web conferencing app has had a big exposure due to the current circumstances where a lot more people are using the internet to chat or meet online for personal or business reasons. It has not only multiples its user base in a very short span of time, but allowed itself to grow multifold in its market value due to the current circumstances.

    WebEx and Microsoft teams are other such players in this field. Webex has been there for a while, but Microsoft teams is a new and fresh contender which his also gaining popularity for its ease of use in the business world. Below we have some software for business needs and also some for personal use like video chatting with family.

    Let’s have a look at some of this apps/software and how they work

    Top 5 Business Productivity Apps

    ZOOM

    zoom to video chat

    https://zoom.us/whatsnew

    Zoom is best-known for being the go-to choice for businesses that need access to quick and convenient video for internal and external audio or video conferencing.

    • Offers high-quality HD video and audio.
    • Simple and easy to use platform
    • Offers  collaboration facilities such as text chat and screen sharing
    • You do not sign up for the app to join a Zoom meeting (hopefully this doesn’t change)
    • To host a video conference, you need to create an account
    • Can sign up using existing Facebook and Google accounts
    • Works with Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS
    • Desktop users can also begin a local recording
    • There is extra functionality with plugins like integration with outlook , google chrome, Firefox to make using the app from within these software easier

    Zoom app is offered in both free and paid versions. The paid version has some additional features like you can add up to 1000 participants, record calls, and much more.

     

    WEBEX by cisco

    webex australia

    https://www.webex.com/pricing/index.html

    WebEx is a flexible conferencing solution designed for businesses of any sizes you can think. Cisco owns the WebEx brand and has been around for a while with a high degree of reliability.

    • High quality web and HD video meeting software
    • It has Integrated application/file sharing(screen sharing)
    • Integrated with Outlook – add WebEx to a meeting in my calendar and all invitees will have the information
    • Cross platform – works with Windows, Mac, iPad and support mobile meetings for iPhones, Blackberries, Androids.
    • With WebEx meetings you can also chat using your phone or home line and watching the video/ video conference or meeting using your internet connection.
    • Supports immediate playback of multi-media content like flash and windows media player
    • Great customer service

    Webex makes a good reliable software/app for  video and audio conferencing  for business needs and integrates well with their  most browsers and  their other products like jabber.

     

    Microsoft Teams by Microsoft

    teams by microsoft

    https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/microsoft-365/microsoft-teams/

    Microsoft Teams is a new player in the market that has rapidly taken over market share from webex and zoom.

    With the competition heating up for video conferencing platforms like Google Meet and many other free video conferencing platforms, Microsoft has made it free to collaborate with your colleagues with some limitations.

     

    • Multi-Platform support -You can use Microsoft Teams on most platforms including Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, and macOS.
    • Schedule video/audio meetings with one person or a team or make a call directly to your teammates.
    • Features includes screen sharing and call recording, background blur and chat.
    • Just share a link with your team to join the call or a meeting.
    • Easy to use – The interface is clean and simple to understand. You can initiate an online meeting or can schedule one as per your requirement.
    • Host a webinar or meeting with up to 10,000 participants.
    • App is integrated with Microsoft 365
    • If the other person is unable to answer, you can leave a voicemail-like message.
    • With Microsoft Teams integrations with Outlook, you can schedule a video call in advance and you get an alert before it begins.
    • The free account offers 10 GB of team file storage and 2 GB of personal file storage per person
    • It supports most Microsoft software. Teams let you collaborate in real-time with MS Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. Let your teammates access, share, and edit Word docs, PowerPoint, and Excel files in real-time
    • You can communicate and collaborate with teams up to 500K users
    • Microsoft keeps your data secure by using Secure Real-time Transport Protocol (SRTP) technology for video and audio data encryption.

     

    How to set up Microsoft Teams:

    You can download the app directly from the app store or Microsoft website and use your email account to log in. It can also be accessed via a web browser.

    If you remember skype owned by Microsoft and still use it, MT has been built using some features “Skype for Business” that has been rolled into Teams. Teams support VoIP calling features where you can call anyone with a phone using Microsoft’s cloud-based PBX.

    Microsoft Teams is ideal for businesses who already use or are familiar with Microsoft products and for others it could be an expensive option. It is however a perfect solution to collaborate with your team with plenty of features and third-party app integration options, which is not available with competitors.

     

    How to use and set up Zoom Meeting:

    First, you need to get the Zoom app on your device.

    You will need the code and password for the meeting you wish to join.

    At the time of the meeting, enter your Zoom app and type in the meeting code. After a short while, you will be prompted to put in the password. Type it on the password line. You will get a message telling you to wait to be invited into the meeting by the host.

    Once you get the invitation, you will see the host (or some meeting participants) on your screen. If you want them to be able to see and hear you during the meeting, tap the video and audio icons at the bottom of the screen to join the meeting with visual and audio.

    You can also press “mute” any time you want to remain silent to the host or other participants. Just remember to press “unmute” if you want to be heard again. [ These zoom instructions can be quite similar to use for most other video conferencing apps too ]

    Most of these apps work by creating a meeting id or a URL that you can share with people to join your meeting or video chat.

    Companies or organisations will have to take into account – companies licensing agreements, hardware, budget, communication needs before signing up with such providers.

    Historically with these apps none has been truly web-based, as they require a download, only work on certain devices, and don’t always work on all browsers. But this has changed now with most of these being able to be used with web browsers using plugins as alternatives and some even in stand- alone browsers.

    Zoom vs WebEx

    Zoom is the hot new web conferencing toy in the industry, but is proving itself to be well received in the workplace due to its ease of use and nice video interface. Cisco is a bit pricier when compared to others, but Zoom costs can add on with charges for add-on charges for extra features.

     

    Other Business Video conferencing & Productivity APPS

    Below are some apps that have been used for business as well as popular with personal use for video chat and audio calling features

     

    GoToMeeting (popular with business use)

    go to meeting business app

    Go TO Meeting has been popular as a video conferencing app prior to the launch of these new popular apps who have grabbed user share. With GoToMeeting, you can schedule conferences for any time or place you choose. Additionally, attendees can join from a computer, laptop, tablet or smartphone.

     

    Google Meet (popular with personal use)

    video by google meet

    If you have heard of google hangouts, this had evolved into google meet.  You can plan a video meeting in the Google calendar, Gmail, or Meet by signing in to the G Suite account.  Enter https://meet.google.com in a web browser

    It has features like real-time captions and support for up to 250 participants and 100,000 live stream viewers

     

    Facebook Messenger & What’s app (popular with personal use)

    facebook messengerwhatsapp videochat

    Both are owned by Facebook.

    WhatsApp is one of the most popular chats on the planet. It counts over 1 billion active users. It offers you voice calls, video calls, and many other features.

     

    Slack (business and personal use)

    group chat by slack

    Slack is a useful chat or conferencing app where you can create chats with different users, mention users via @ and view all team members files at one place. Slack allows you to make voice and video calls and show your work, you can share your screen just like in Skype.

     

    Viber for Business (popular with personal use)

    viber of business chat

    Viber for Business completes the Skype for Business alternatives when looking for a collaboration or team chat environment.

    Pricing:

    Most providers have different type of plans like Pro, Business or Enterprise which are quoted according to your needs.  Pricing can also be calculated on per participant per meeting prices or then flat licensing deals. The typical lowest starting price is from $12/month to $15/ a month , however price can vary according to your  business needs.

    Conclusion:

    You can’t run a company without meetings and you cant video chat with friends without a video chat app.  Video conferencing services make communicating with your entire team or your group of friends and family easy. Today its possible to video chat or conference with large number of people depending on which platform you are using.

    Which video conferencing apps do you use? Let us know in the comments below!

    10 Tips To Get Ready Working From Home Successfully

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    ​Not many people realised that they would be working from home this year, No thanks to the Bl**dy virus that has turned the world upside down.  The covid virus has got hundred and thousands of people sick and has changed our lives in so many ways.

    People now have turned to working from home in large numbers due to this calamity. People are self-isolating out of fear and safety.  A lot many have learnt to manage their lives remotely through video conferencing and virtual meetings.  It is essential for you to have a plan if you are going to work from home. In this post, we are going to look at what you need to start working from home ( more like a checklist)

    A few things to sort out before you begin to work from home.

    • Make sure you have a proper table and chair that follow appropriate safe, ergonomic standards
    • Get a sit stand up desk if needed
    • Take regular breaks
    • Screen size of your laptop/desktop
    • Lighting in the room
    • Good NBN OR Internet connectivity
    "

    A proper table and chair set up is very essential if you are going to be working from home. The long hours (5 to 8 hours a day or more) sitting down can be tiresome, and you need to get your posture right, or you can damage your back or neck.  Luckily when you are in office, this is all taken care off by the workplace, so it is wise to take extra care with this while working from home.  This video here might give you a few tips.

    A sit stand up desk

    Sitting down in front of a laptop for long hours can result in cramped shoulders or back. Why not invest in a sit stand up desk. This should allow you to do work while sitting and also do work while standing half the time.  This method does wonders for many.

    Take Regular breaks

    Take breaks as if you would do so at your office.  If you took a morning break and an afternoon break with a walk around your block while at the office – do the same when you work from home.

    Exercise keeps you healthy and more productive. Don’t forget when in office you do take some time to have a chat with fellow colleagues as well, so make sure you break up your continuous work time.

    Getting Ready to Work from home

    Gadgets, Settings and Adjustments you will need to make.

    Work Monitors/ Docking stations

    ​WORK MONITORS: Turn your laptop into a Desktop. Your workplace monitors may be huge or dual monitors, so it enables you to see screens easily for long hours. Make sure you get a laptop which is easy to do work for long hours without strain on your eyes. Eye health is important too.

    Get your laptop attached to your home desktop monitor or get your office laptop docking station to your home. Maybe get a laptop glare protector if you need one.

    Proper lighting in room

    LIGHTS: ​If there isn’t suitable or sufficient light in the room, it can lead to a strain on your eyes affecting your work, so it is essential to have enough light while working and lights that are not reflecting too much on your work area. Adjust as needed.

    Hydrate

    HYDRATION: If you don’t have a water bottle on your desk at work, you should get one. Office aircon are known to get the air dry around you, and you need to hydrate, so don’t forget to do the same when you are working from home. Get your regular dose of hydration.

    ​

    Using your own mobile for work

    ​COMMUNICATION: Enquire with your office how you would make calls to clients. If they provide an office mobile or if you can use your own mobile or home phone and claim deductions or claim expenses back from office.

    If you use your own mobile, for Samsung mobile you can block caller id or hide your number for a single call by entering #31# before the number you wish to dial. If you are a iPhone user The quickest way to block your iPhone’s caller ID is to use the *67 trick, which is referred to as “star six seven”

    Headset with mic

    You might need a good headset or headphones with mic to take part in video conferencing and training from home or then listen to training packages, without disturbing people at home or keeping conversations confidential.

    Most laptops have a built-in camera nowadays, but if your doesn’t then just get one from your office or a  portable webcam from the tech shop or online.

    Record Keeping of Expenses

    Keep records of your expenses incurred due to working from home so that you can claim it from your office or then claim deductions if allowed. It is easy not to get all the expenses claimed back, which is due if you don’t keep detailed records and receipts.

    Plan your lunch or brekky in advance

    It is wise to plan your brekky and lunch in advance even though you are working from home to stop unnecessary interruptions at work, just like you would do so regularly. However, make sure you take your breaks.

    Kids at home

    ​Set the rules. If you have kids at home while working, it can be difficult.  Have a sit-down conversation with your kids? Make them understand that you need minimal interruptions. Plan a daily routine for them as well, Learning time (online learning time), TV time and outdoor play time. Pre-plan activities for them to do.

    Good Internet connection

    ​A good stress-free work time can be achieved with good internet connections and good connectivity. Make sure you test your laptop if set up to work from home first from your office before you bring it to home.

    To avoid disconnections and lag while working – your office will need good virtual network set up, and also you will need a good internet connection. A good idea would be for your kids to not watch Netflix, YouTube videos or stream audio via internet during when you work – if this is possible.

    Work Start /End Timing

    All companies or workplaces have different rules, though you can expect quite a few to be the same when it comes to work start and end times. You need to plan your start and finish times.

    If you are working from home, you save the travel time. So, with that bonus, you could possibly start a bit early and finish early.  Some offices don’t allow you to accrue flex time, and some do, so if its allowed maybe you can work an extra half hour every day and accumulate some flex with an early start. If its not allowed, then you can still start early and finish early and get more time to your day.

    Psychology of working from home

    Many people will jump at the idea of working from home, not knowing what it entails or how they will cope. Some will succeed it doing it well, and some will fail miserably and not get much done affecting their productivity.

    It is essential to know hat kind of work person you are to succeed, if you can get along just fine without an office formal atmosphere and work in your pyjamas that’s okay. But if you will find it hard to work in a casual home setting, maybe you will still need to dress (formals) and act the part to work from home. It’s all about getting your mind into the right frame of work.

    Conclusion:

    Just finished counting the points, so in total there was “14 tips to get you started working from home successfully”

    There are other things you might need – if you suddenly have had to start working from home like printers, printing paper, envelopes, office mobile, paper shredder, filing box or files, stationery and your help desk and support contact numbers ready.  

    Enquire with your office if they allow you to take equipment home for working from home- You might be surprised. Good luck and please do comment below if you have any additional tips you can add to my article.

    tp link modem router

    WAVLINK WiFi Range Extender AC1200 Wireless Router/AP Access Point/WiFi Extenders Signal Booster/Range Extender with Dual Band 5Ghz 2.4Ghz 1200Mbps Works Any Route

    This is something you might need  to get proper wifi coverage to get  your work done at home.  You will only need this if your modem/router is not good enough in distributing the  wifi signal around your house.

     Network extender mode boosts wireless signal to previously unreachable or hard-to-wire areas flawlessly Miniature size and wall-mounted design make it easy to deploy and move flexibly
     
    Features

    Eliminates Dead Spots and Extends the Existing Wireless-AC Coverage

      1. Using the Wavlink 575A3 Range Extender, you can easily extend the range of your existing wireless router to create a strong Wi-Fi signal for all the devices in and around your home, including smartphones, tablets, ultra-books, and more.
      2. Greater coverage allows you to enjoy fast Wi-Fi speeds on your laptop or tablet .
      3. It can Creates Wi-Fi speeds that are up to three times faster than wireless-N. With this extra speed, you can stream HD-quality videos and play online games seamlessly without interruptions or lag.
     

    pro plus 36 white desk sit stand up desk

    Featured Pro plus 36 Varidesk model

    The sit stand up desk is becoming a popular alternative today to improve more healthy computer use and prevent your body from bad posture health risks. It helps reduces incidents at the workplace.

    Features:

    · Best selling model

    · Risk-free for 30 days

    · Two-tier design: upper display surface, lower keyboard/mouse deck

    · 5 year warranty

    · Shipped fully assembled and best-in-class materials used

     

    Prices and more over here

     

    You can get a cheapo PC headset at officeworks  for between $10 to $20 that will do the job  for video and audio conferencing or then you can purchase a fancy noise cancelling headphones with mic  that will do the job and allow you to listen to music at high quality.

     

    This is the COWIN E7 Active Noise Cancelling Headphones Bluetooth Headphones with Mic Deep Bass Wireless Headphones Over Ear with inbuilt mic. It has active noise cancelling technology

    Link here: https://www.amazon.com.au/Cancelling-Headphones-Bluetooth-Comfortable-Cellphone/dp/B07RW8DT4S/

     

     

     

    If you  got a monitor or need to jack up the height of your laptop then you need this.

     

    KENSINGTON(R) 52785 Monitor Stand, SMARTFIT Standard

    Stand positions monitor in line with your eyes to help reduce eye strain.

    Price: $39.00 & FREE Delivery.

    Check updated prices here 

    If this is not your thing, you might want to check laptop stand on Amazon.com.au.

    Acer ET322QR 31.5" Curved Flat Panel Monitor

    If you are game enough to get a fancy new curved monitor then this is the one you need to pick up from Harvey Norman. It’s the Acer ET322QR 31.5″ Curved Flat Panel Monitor.

    This Curved Flat Panel Monitor delivers clear and vibrant images at ideal viewing angles, while also adding a stylish touch to your entertainment setup.

    Key Features
    • The Acer ET322QR 31.5″ Curved Flat Panel Monitor has a 1920 x 1080 resolution (60Hz refresh rate and 4ms response time) for sharp and detailed visuals.
    • Made with an 1800R curvature, the ET322QR monitor’s screen has a wrapping effect at optimal viewing distances to provide an immersive viewing experience.
    • Integrating Acer Flicker-less, BlueLight Shield, and Low dimming technologies, the monitor’s visual output is easy on the viewer’s eyes.
    • This Acer curved monitor has one VGA port and two HDMI ports to suit a variety of input sources.
    • For added convenience, this curved flat panel monitor supports a 100 x 100mm VESA wall mount.

    Price Range: From $300 to $450

    https://www.harveynorman.com.au/acer-et322qr-31-5-curved-flat-panel-monitor.html

    If you want something more cheap and traditional looking, this is what you need below from Jb hi fi

    HP 3WL44AA 21.5\" FHD IPS Monitor

     

    HP
    Price: $169 to $200

    HP 3WL44AA 21.5″ FHD IPS Monitor

    Key Features

    21.5″ IPS LED Display

    FHD (1920 x 1080 @ 60 Hz)

    1 HDMI 1.4 (with HDCP support); 1 VGA

    Contrast ratio: 1000:1 static

    14ms grey to grey response time

    Anti-glare

    On screen controls

    Tilt: -5 to +20°

    178° horizontal and vertical viewing angles

    If you are going to work from a laptop then  a docking station might come handy. A docking station allows you to connect to devices that you could not use in the past. Devices like flat-panel monitors and digital cameras are not always compatible with laptops.  It provides a single connection point that allows a laptop to use a connected monitor, printer, keyboard, and mouse.

    This allows a laptop to function like a desktop computer.

    UPTab USB-C Docking Station with Ethernet, DisplayPort 4K, HDMI 4K, VGA, 3 Port USB 3.0, USB C PD and SD/TF Card Reader

    Pic above is from https://au.uptab.com/uptab-usb-c-docking-station/

    UPTab

    USB-C Docking Station

    $192.62 $129.41

    Some more docking station gadgets

    1. StarTech Thunderbolt 3 Dual-4K Docking Station. …
    2. Targus USB 3.0 Dual Video Docking Station with Power. …
    3. AmazonBasics USB 3.0 Universal Laptop Docking Station. …
    4. Kensington USB 3.0 Docking Station. …
    5. Toshiba Dynadock V3. …
    6. Microsoft Surface Dock. …
    7. J5Create JUD500 USB 3.0 Ultra Station. …
    8. Dell USB 3.0 UHD Triple Video Docking Station.

    or just get one from officeworks 

    https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop/officeworks/p/kensington-universal-usb-c-powered-laptop-dock-sd4600p-kensd4600p

    If you are going to do video conferencing or use zoom you will need a webcam 
     
    LifeCam Cinema
     
    This simple yet high quality webcam will do the job and last you a long time.

    Lifecam Cinema

    https://www.microsoft.com/accessories/en-us/products/webcams/lifecam-cinema/h5d-00013

    Part #: H5D-00013

    MSRP

    $69.95

     

    Enjoy high-quality 720p HD widescreen video together with crystal clear audio, with the LifeCam Cinema

    You dont need a high end camera with ridiculous price, this will do the job

    "Ref

    Provide guidance on what is a safe home office environment, including what a good work station set up looks like and how to keep physically –  https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/covid-19-information-workplaces/working-home

    Fairwork Australia – https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employee-entitlements/flexibility-in-the-workplace/flexible-working-arrangements

    Find out which employees can request flexible working arrangements, how to work..

    Is Online Learning Part of a New Educational Evolution

    by Leave a Comment

    love to learn (1)

    Inked feathers, pens, typewriters, computers, and now online learning. Each had its own place in the evolution of modern education. The COVID global lockdown spurred a new appreciation for studying at home rather than slogging down to a college or university. With that in mind, the question is, is online learning now a component of educational evolution.

    I Had to Go to a Library

    Here is a line from the great comedian Ron White, “Back when I was in school, if we wanted to know something, we had to go to a library, which was a building. We would walk down there seeking knowledge, and sometimes, they would tell us that the knowledge we seek isn’t there, and to come back next week.”

    Most millennials have a vague recollection of those days of visiting a library and hoping the book you need is there. When you look back, it is frightening to think that we had to go through all of that just to learn whatever our teachers had set out. Yet, education evolved, and online learning is no doubt a component in the next step of education evolution.

    I Filled My Head with Garbage

    While quoting popular culture, here is a snippet from the Simpsons. A new teacher asks a question, Martin Prince answers, and the teacher says, “Why have you learned that fact off by heart when anybody with a smartphone can look it up in seconds, To which Martin replies dramatically, “I’ve crammed my head full of garbage.”

    We are leaving the era where you have to memorise a bunch of facts and figures in order to pass a test. In fact, the few places where such learning is still relevant is chemistry and physics. Other than those two, we are seeing exams rely less and less on the regurgitation of facts and figures from memory. This ties in very well with online learning because it is almost devoid of such memorising. You may need to memorise concepts and/or scenarios, but the verbatim recital of facts and figures are not as heavily relied upon, which is in line with the current evolution of the education system.

    More Sit-at-a-Computer Vocations

    Perhaps online learning courses are becoming more popular because they are also becoming more relevant. For example, twenty years ago there were far fewer jobs that could be done at a computer, and even fewer that could be (or learned) from home. For example, you cannot learn how to change a tyre from home, but you can learn logistics, programming, digital marketing, graphic design, bookkeeping, video editing, audio editing, and so forth from home.

    You can then go out and get a job working in an office using those skills, or perhaps get remote work using those skills. The COVID lockdown has perhaps proven that many in-classroom courses need not take place in a classroom, which spurs on the changes that make digital learning a larger part of the mainstream education system.

    Will the Human Factor Change?

    There are some people who learn better when they are told by a teacher rather than reading it from a screen. A teacher can adapt and change the lesson based on the comprehension of the group, and in-classroom learning creates a sense of urgency, whereas many online courses can be failed through simple procrastination or lack of the sort of motivation that a teacher gives.

    Conclusion – Digital Learning Should be a Facet of Modern Education

    One could argue that online digital learning (from home) just doesn’t work for some people, but the same can be said for classroom learning and on-the-job learning. Nobody is saying that digital learning should become the one and only method of learning. It should simply factor into what makes up the modern education system.

    Perhaps modern learning should be more adaptive. There are some students who will never learn chemistry through reading alone, who will need practical lessons, teachers, and so forth. There are some people who will never learn engineering correctly without on-the-job learning, self-teaching, and so forth. With any hope, modern education will one day lean towards teaching students the way they learn the best, be that in classrooms, digitally, on the job, or some mixture that works for the student in hand.

    Top Free Antivirus For Your Computer and Smart devices

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    "protect

    ​Need to keep your computer safe from bad internet  viruses and hackers, then you need an antivirus for your computer, laptop or whichever device  you normally do most of your important transactions.

    In today’s world a lot of the daily transactions and chores like paying your bills and shopping is done online on your computer, laptop or mobile.  The risk of your credentials or banking passwords falling into the wrong hands are very real. Forget someone stealing your online passwords , even kidnapping your computer is very real  since the last couple of years.

    A bad person can get your computer infected or hacked and plant a virus that will lock your computer and important files and you won’t be able to get into it without paying up a ransom. These types of virus that infect your computer are called ransomware.

    While there is no 100% way of defending your passwords, getting a computer security product like a antivirus is a must in today’s world to at least  secure yourself against many nasties and lessen the chance of a hacker or a virus  getting into your computer and stealing your passwords.

    Bitdefender is a trusted product that does the job of protecting your computer quite well and for free. It’s a Fast, Free Virus Protection for 2020.  It can protect all your computers and devices from viruses and malware and it’s a 100% Free Antivirus.

    There are other providers who also provide a free product like AVG Antivirus, Avast and Avira.  Windows 10 does come with its own software called Windows Defender which is good, however a good malware protector is also needed to be fully secure. Bitdefender provides them both in one software.

    How do I download and install Bitdefender​ Free Version?

    If you are used to working on computers, it’s a easy 3 step process done in minutes.

    1. Download the Free antivirus program from the >> website
    2. Click on downloaded file to Install it (register or create a Bitdefender account will doing so)
    3. Do a scan to check if any nasties exist on your computer and Bitdefender stay on  to protect your computer.

    Bitdefender Link : Free Antivirus 

    "2020

    free software

    To use the free version, you will need to register or create a bit defender account (does not cost you anything). You will need to register with your name and email.

    ​Scan your computer :

    Once started, the online protection will automatically start and you can start a first scan of your computer for any nasties lurking around.  If you choose you can scan you whole computer or then just choose which folder you want to scan.

    scan for virus

     

    DASHBOARD:

    If you go into the settings or the dashboard you can see four tabs

    dashboard for software

    Events, Quarantine, Exclusions and Protections, I will explain what they all do below

    ​

    Events ♣

    Events is where it shows what scans has been done so far for your system and when it was last done. It will also show if your antivirus has been updated recently.

    Quarantine æ

    This is where any suspect files that has showed up in the scan will show up. Those files will get quarantined and you can check them here to see details. The files shown over here can be deleted if you think its unsafe. You can exclude or restore them if needed.

    Exclusions ⊄

    This is where the files that was detected as suspect, but then you said was okay will show up (in exclusion).  You can exclude files that are safe so that it doesn’t get picked up every time you run a scan. Each time the antivirus detects or blocks a website, you can exclude them from scanning  if safe. Use this with caution.

    Protection ψ

    This column will show a history of attacks on your computer system via software or websites and you can access more details from your dashboard whenever a threat is detected.  This is the protection shield and you can turn it on/off at the top right of this tab, but for security it is preferred to be always on.

    [[[[ Help and support tab ]]]]

    This is where you can ask for help or support 24/7 with using the Bitdefender product or giving feedback about the product you have. This is available when you upgrade to the version of Bitdefender with full protection. You can click over here on the view offer button to upgrade and get the full version at a special deal price.

    bitdefender 2020 offers and deals

    With these offers, you can get deals on Bitdefender

    • Antivirus Plus 2019 (1 device/1 year)
    • Bitdefender Total Security 2019 (5 devices/ 1 year)

    The upgrade gives you heaps of features that are not included with the basic free version. The features you get is is based on which version you purchase.

    Free trials

    Free trails are quite popular with most security software companies, where you can try the software for a certain limited time before you decide to buy. Some providers provide the full version of the software for trial, while some of them provide limited feature version for trial.

    Some of the features among others that are worth mentioning that you get with the upgrade is

    • Webcam Protection
    • Password Manager
    • Parental Control
    • And VPN (use limits apply)

    What Free vs paid version this Software covers ?

    The free version is a basic version that just protects you from viruses and online threats for one device.  With the paid version you can get a variety of cover for your devices. They are multi-device family plans for devices covering 1 device, 5 devices and more. So everybody can get covered with just one software purchase.

    The paid version comes with many bonus features

    Password manager

    password software

    The software also comes with lots of free add-ons like Password Manager, where you can manage and secure all your passwords for different websites on your computer securely.

    Parental control – Kid’s safe website security blockers

    Most Software allows you to block websites that are not kid safe and  also block websites manually  so that your kids can’t access certain websites. The bit-defender advanced parental controls will keep your kids safe online

    Secure VPN

    Secure VPN for complete online privacy, 200 MB/day/device

    File shredder

    delete files securely forever

    Got files on your computer that you want to delete securely ? the File shredder will do this for you.

    Apart from these above features new features like anti-tracker, microphone monitor and wifi-security advisor will give you that extra security you need to secure your critical devices on your pc.

    The best way to test this product is to use the free version provided and then if happy, upgrade to the version you need. You can access the userguide for 2020 Bit-defender over here  and access our free step by step install guide over here.

    Bitdefender has won a couple of awards and the basic version will protect your computer, and the upgrade will do so much more and give you peace of mind.

    Bitdefender  Free Version

    A$0 Completely Free

    Paid version

    Bitdefender has  1 device  to 15 devices  security solutions for your computer and network.  They have multi device plans to suit all devices windows or apple and also a mix of devices.  They even have a  new product specially built for the  internet of things devices on your network.  They have home pc plans , business software plans and  special industry grade network security software.

    They have the basic windows protection, advanced windows protection and  the complete protection solution in the price range from $29.99 to $299.99+. You can purchase plans for 1 year , 2 years or 3 year plans to access competitive pricing.

    Bitdefender total security – 5 devices

    With the above $44.99 – Total Security 2020 software you get protection for up to 5 devices / 1 year and complete protection for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android

    • Complete anti-malware protection: Windows, macOS, Android and iOS
    • Multi-layer ransomware protection with ransomware remediation
    • Network Threat Prevention: stops attacks before they even begin
    • Parental Control
    • Optimized speed and cross-platform performance
    • Comprehensive Support 24/7

    They also have the family pack that covers more devices than the normal plans.

    Bitdefender Internet Security 2020 has won the Outstanding Product award from AV-Comparatives, as well as Best Protection, Best Performance and Best Repair from AV-TEST.

     

    About Bitdefender

    Bitdefender has the largest security delivery infrastructure on the globe With a worldwide network of 500 million machines. They have Technology alliances with Citrix, VMware, Nutanix, Linux Foundation, Microsoft. For businesses they also offer an integrated endpoint protection, risk management, and attack forensics platform called Gravity Zone Elite to protect your network.

    Bitdefender’s Internet of things device protection solution is called Bitdefender Box. The box is a router designed to protect smart home products and Internet of Things devices by blocking malicious internet traffic.

    Bitdefender offers a cloud-based security solution with anti-malware and anti-theft capabilities for Android and iOS users that is called Bitdefender Mobile Security.

    Bitfdefender is a Romanian cyber security and anti-virus software company which was founded in 2001. It was founded in 2001 by Florin Talpeş who is currently the CEO. Bitdefender develops and sells anti-virus software, internet security software, endpoint security software, and other cyber security products and services

    How antivirus software works?

    Computer/Laptop or  Android /Mac Devices

    For computers and laptops or smart devices including tablets and smartphones, the antivirus works in a similar way to each device. Once you install the software it has a updating engine built into the software. This engine updates new virus defence definitions to your software as new viruses and malware emerge, so that your  device is protected against any new types of viruses.  Most software or antivirus providers  provide their own inbuilt  virus defence updates or then subscribe to a larger virus defence update provider and provide you with the latest security updates to your existing software.

    Smartphone/Tablet

    With  smartphones or tablets you install the free antivirus  through the android or apple app store. The app will get regular updates  to keep the antivirus fresh and ready to protect against any new smartphone or smart device nasties.

     

    [ninja_tables id="8787"]

    SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR ANTI-VIRUS AND SECURITY SOFTWARE

    Supported Browsers

    • Internet Explorer 10.0 or later
    • Firefox
    • Google Chrome
    • Safari (Mac and iOS OS Only)
    • Microsoft Edge

    Android Operating Systems

    • Android 4.1 or later. Must have Google Play app installed.
    • macOSX 11.2 and later operating Systems
    • iOS 10.10 or later

    Operating system 

    • Microsoft Windows 10, 8.1, 8, and 7 (32- and 64-bit)
    • Mac OS X 10.12 or later
    • Google Android smartphones and tablets 4.1 or higher
    • Apple iOS 10 or later

    Hardware

    • 2 GB RAM for Windows 7 and above
    • 2.5 GB free drive space
    • 2 GHz Processor

    How To Scale Your Online Funnel And Make It COVID19-Proof

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    marketing and conversion australia

    As COVID-19 shows no sign of slowing down, many businesses are going back to the drawing board to figure out how to continue operating in the new norm. The digital funnel sphere is getting even more crowded due to all businesses being forced to move their operations & customer engagements to virtual.

    We’re now seeing a spike in companies’ updating their websites, interests in SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and marketing tools/techniques, and social media activities. Keep in mind that companies are not only transferring their current funnel activities to digital but also improving the digital funnel engagements beyond their current capabilities. You need to have more real-life-like content and even better analytics to adapt to the new environment. Large companies, who used to spend 50-60% of their marketing budgets on live events, are now focusing their spending on digital.

    In this economic atmosphere, you cannot afford any waste. Every visit to your site should result in desired behaviours. Globally, the e-commerce websites’ quarterly conversion rate has steadily been at around 2.6%. Right now, most companies are focused on making their landing pages intriguing enough for people to go beyond simple browsing.

    If you already have steady flow into the top of your funnel but have trouble seeing the inflows turned into sales, you want to focus on your conversion rate optimisation (CRO) techniques.

    What is conversion rate optimisation (CRO)?

    If you CRO is a process which enables users to take actions when they visit a website. Typically, the focus is on optimising the landing pages. The landing pages are where the users first lay eyes on the expression of your brand and services. Driving the users to click the links they see and be incentivised to further explore the site are the most common CRO efforts.

    Given the required optimisation pace to stay competitive, CRO cannot be a manual process. You’d need to run constant A/B testing to find the best landing page and website UX based on user behaviours.

    This is why companies are relying on solutions such as Convincely to improve funnel conversion without increasing ad expenditures. One of Convincely’s clients, Members Own Health Funds, saw 340% increase in quality leads and 102 % increase in sales by using Convincely. When the funnel experience is solidified, the ROI on your marketing dollars becomes higher and higher.

    Scaling funnel requires beyond CRO

    funell

    Just like anything else, there is no silver bullet that can magically strengthen your sales performance. So CRO alone will not be sufficient to scale your funnel in a sustainable manner. User engagement on your website is a two-way communication method. As you improve the website UX, you need to ensure you are getting the right insights about not only the landing page but about your service / value proposition in general.

    These insights could also come from customer surveys, customer service interactions, focus groups, etc. Regardless of the source, your testing approach and solutions must be based on the collected quantitative and qualitative data. Hence, Convincely does not just offer a software. It also provides a team of people to investigate your platform functionalities and learn more about the customers your product targets before forming the hypotheses to test.

    The hypotheses must be formed carefully and objectively. This process will dictate which marketing tactics and channels will be utilised. Once you have educated hypotheses, you can update the website content and format to see which combination captivates the attention of your customers most effectively.

    Improving your search relevance

    Right now, the competition for online relevance is fiercer than ever. You must make sure that your brand is prevalent where your target users are and your brand is there before your competitors.

    There are a few things that will impact your relevance ranking – keywords, links, content update frequency, and meta description tags. Companies who do this successfully are deliberate about when and where their brand names are visible. This is why sites such as AnswerThePublic and BuzzSumo are popular as they help companies track what their target customers are searching online. Brands have to think beyond the brand-customer relationship and understand the needs of their customers more holistically in order to identify where in their user journeys their brand presence will make the most impact. Having a covid19-proof funnel process requires having the most up-to-date knowledge of your users’ needs and interests at all times. Thus, the smartest investment to make right now is in tools that will help you expand such knowledge.