Slack introduces voice calls, brings group calls to paying users

Slack is officially moving away from being a messaging service to bringing in voice calls. All users, whether you use Windows or Mac apps, Google Chrome extension, or Android and iOS apps, have access to one-on-one voice calls. You should see a phone icon in the upper right portion of the channel header for those on the desktop, while those using the mobile app can “Start a call” in the app’s channel or DM drop-down menu.

If you want to make group calls in any channel or group DM, you need to be part of a paid team.  If someone from your team starts a group call, you’ll get a message prompting you to join the call. As mentioned before, calls also have the emoji response feature, which allows you to share what you think about the call or the topic you’re talking about.

Source: Slack

Blink app lets you know when your Mac wakes up or sleeps

Curious about when someone uses your Mac when you aren’t around? The Blink app will alert you when your Mac wakes up and sleeps. It’s a simple app that’s easy to set up. You just need to pair your iPhone with your Mac via Bluetooth. After the initial pairing though, you don’t need to keep your Bluetooth on or have it within range to work. Every time your Mac wakes up or goes to sleep, you’ll receive a notification on your phone. You must know though that Blink only supports newer Macs that have Bluetooth Low Energy.

Source: Lifehacker | Download: iTunes App Store ($1.39) + Mac App Store (Free) 

OS X hit by first ransomware via Transmission BitTorrent client

Apple’s Mac operating system has been hit by the “first fully functional” ransomware threat via the Transmission BitTorrent client. According to Claud Xiao and Jin Chen of Palo Alto Networks, “attackers infected two installers of Transmission version 2.90 with KeRanger on the morning of March 4.” Once installed, the malware connected to a remote server via the Tor anonymizing service and it “begins encrypting certain types of document and data files on the system.” It then “demands that victims pay one bitcoin (about $400) to a specific address to retrieve their files.” If you downloaded the app on Friday or Saturday, it’s recommended you download the 2.92 update to avoid being targeted by the ransomware. And here are steps to identify and remove the malware if it was installed.

Apple on the same day the threat was discovered revoked the signing certificate involved to prevent new installations of the infected version via the iOS-like GateKeeper signed-app security system. They also automatically distributed an OS X XProtect antivirus signature to flag or quarantine existing compromised downloads. With these measures up, those who try to open a known-infected version of the app will get a warning dialog box that notes “Transmission.app will damage your computer. You should move it to the Trash,” or “Transmission can’t be opened. You should eject the disk image.”

Source: Apple Insider

Twitter finally updates Mac app

After Twitter has neglected its Mac app for so long, it’s good to see Twitter has kept good on its word to release a newly redesigned app to match its other desktop client, web, and mobile app counterparts. This new version gets features like inline video, animated GIFs, and Notification Center widget support. The look of the new app also works more with the design aesthetic of Mac OS X Yosemite and El Capitan. The app even has a new dark mode to match the dark theme introduced in Yosemite.

It also now supports group messaging, the ability to mute specific accounts, and it supports new quote style for retweeting. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support Twitter’s new poll feature just yet. Let’s hope Twitter continues to update this app and not just make this a one-off thing.

Source: Macworld