BitTorrent & Skype Rule Their Markets, A Software Company’s Report Reveals

April 25, 2013 by Yonah · Comments Off
Filed under: Announcements & Events, Digital Media, Mobile Phones, P2P technology

OPSWAT is quite the name when it comes to providing with software management and security tech. Two of their tools are AppRemover and Security Score, both having one basic purpose – that of increasing security. The applications are designed to keep logs of anonymous telemetry information; these logs are analyzed and filed as a report. Here’s what they’ve showed…

The company’s analysis, which is based on data received from 45.000 of their customers, begins by stating that the results could “differ from what exists in the real world”. One of the reasons, and probably the most relevant, is that not all of their users are connoisseurs of the technology world.

As we’ve mentioned in the introduction, OPSWAT’s two applications are meant to increase the security of your computer. AppRemover is quite self-explanatory – it removes unwanted or obsolete applications, while Security Score offers a relevant security report based on a thorough system scan. According to the the company’s periodical report, the BitTorrent client showed on 5,4% of the surveyed systems. Add uTorrent to the mix, and we have a 59% going to the peer-to-peer company. Other file-sharing clients managed to go as high as 6%.

The gathered information showed that nearly 34% of the examined computers presented with the file-sharing fever. A solid argument could go as far as saying that not all installed applications are necessarily used, and OPSWAT’s report comes to confirm it – only 10% of the surveyed systems showed peer-to-peer activity.

Instant messaging is ruled by Microsof, with Skype accounting for 38% and Windows Live for approximately 32%. Yahoo had only 9%.

Going head to head, file-sharing vs. instant messaging, and we have more users with IM software on their computers (>45%) than p2p-based applications.

If you wonder how file-syncing services are doing, Dropbox is accountable for 47.9%, while Google Drive, Apple’s iCloud, and SkyDrive for 1.65%, 10.5% and 9.3% respectively.

All things said, it looks like the entertainment industry is wrong once more, and not everyone is out there to get them jumping from one feet to the other over piracy concerns.

Tags: BitTorrent, market, report, Skype, uTorrent

BitTorrent’s Magic Box Puts Torrenting & Watching Movies Into Your TV Set

January 11, 2013 by Yonah · Comments Off
Filed under: Announcements & Events, Digital Media, Mobile Phones, P2P technology, File-Sharing Programs, Networks & Services, Movies, MP3, Digital Audio & Games

Have you ever wanted to stream the movies you’ve downloaded directly to you TV? Well, now it’s all possible with BitTorrent’s BBK Box – a device that allows you to watch movies, wirelessly, through the company’s most popular client – uTorrent.

The BBK Box is powered by Android and contains technology from both uTorrent and the BitTorrent clients.

In terms of adaptability, the box supports DLNA, meaning that users can play content from iTunes and Vuze on their TV set. Furthermore, one can control the Box through the EShare remote control application (compatible with Android, Apple mobile phones or tablets).

As far as file management is concerned, the BBK comes with a built-in web browser so you can add torrent files. Otherwise, you can use an USB drive, SD card, and even an external hard drive.

Here’s a list of the video formats supported by BitTorrent’s magic box: MPEG 1/2/4 (MPEG 4 Part 2), H.264, VC-1, H.263, VP6 (640 x 480), Xvid, RMVB 8/9/10, RM, WMV (V9), AVI, TS, M2TS, TP, TRP, ISO, VOB, DAT, MP4, MPEG, MPG, MOV(MPEG 4, H.264), ASF, FLV (640 x 480), MKV, M4V.

The benefits of being compatible with Android are of course the thousand applications that are found in the Android Market (installing VPN applications is possible).

Last but not least, the box comes with pre-installed apps such as Google Play Market, Google Search, Web Browser, Clock, DVB Player, E-mail, File Browser, and a Music Player. Its internal memory is 55MB.

Price: less than 90 Euros.

Unfortunately, the device is (at least for now) shipped only to Europe.

Some of its features, as seen on the official website:

- Built-in Wi-Fl to enjoy your connected media wirelessly
- Easy connectivity with USB 2.0 and SD card connections
- Playback media content from external removable storage
- DLNA PC Media Link to browse PC and home network content
- Play multiple video formats from external hard disk or thumbdrive

Tags: bbk box, BitTorrent, iTunes, movies, uTorrent, Vuze

uTorrent’s Purpose Extends Beyond Piracy, BitTorrent’s CEO Said

December 28, 2012 by Yonah · Comments Off
Filed under: Announcements & Events, Digital Media, Mobile Phones, P2P technology, Entertainment Industry, File-Sharing Programs, Networks & Services

Although anti-piracy lobbyists consider the uTorrent and BitTorrent clients as bridges for online piracy, the company’s CEO begs to differ.

“We hear this question all the time. We hear we’ve killed film, the radio star and the content industry. We hear we’re the Web’s dark matter, and the Internet’s seedy underbelly. We are not.”

This was a statement given by BitTorrent’s CEO – Eric Klinker – to TorrentFreak.

The industries (MPAA/RIAA) had long tried (and probably still do) to put BitTorrent down, along with its spearhead client, uTorrent. At the time being, it’s believed that uTorrent accounts for more than 150 million registered users, most of which are supposedly downloading copyrighted content.

However, Klinker is driven to change that perspective by launching a new website called Does BitTorrent Equal Piracy.

“We are scientists, engineers, developers and designers committed to building a better Internet,” he said.

“We are photographers, musicians, writers and gamers. We came to work here because we wanted to change the way the Internet works for us. How it works for all of us. We do not endorse piracy. We do not encourage it. We don’t point to piracy sites. We don’t host any infringing content,” BitTorrent’s CEO concluded.

Tags: BitTorrent, copyright infringement, file sharing applications, file-sharing, p2p clients, uTorrent

uTorrent (Beta) For Android Gets Updated: Wi-Fi Enabled

November 23, 2012 by Yonah · Comments Off
Filed under: Digital Media, Mobile Phones, P2P technology, File-Sharing Programs, Networks & Services

After finally releasing a uTorrent version for Android-based devices, BitTorrent has now made available an important update, allowing connection via Wi-Fi.

At the beginning of September 2012, BitTorrent announced the release of a long expected uTorrent client compatible with Android devices. Now, the development team behind the world’s most successful torrent client provides with a vital update:

The new WiFi-only mode feature pauses download activity when you’re outside a WiFi area, and automatically resumes downloading once WiFi is accessible again. This means you can download media, without running up mobile data charges. Intelligent, on-the-go downloading. No size or speed caps on media files. And RSS subscriptions to featured independent artists, brought to you by BitTorrent. Our users have helped us build an incredibly powerful app.

While many expect a final release of the client, others are asking for a version compatible with other operating systems, such as Windows Mobile, Blackberry OS, and iOS.

We’re confident that BitTorrent will consider those demands, but, at least for now, their efforts are focused on Android.

If you wish to download the updated client just visit Google Play store.

As for those of you who want to use a desktop computer, uTorrent 3.22 has been released.

Tags: file sharing applications, p2p clients, p2p technology, uTorrent

BitTorrent’s uTorrent Becomes Ad-Supported, With A Twist

November 13, 2012 by Yonah · Comments Off
Filed under: Announcements & Events, Digital Media, Mobile Phones, P2P technology, File-Sharing Programs, Networks & Services, Movies, MP3, Digital Audio & Games

Back in August BitTorrent announced that their prime client (uTorrent) will become ad-supported, in an effort to bring further support for both the client’s developing team and the company itself. Somehow expected, the public’s reaction to the announcement was not very positive; as such, BitTorrent decided to make the new feature optional. The day has finally arrived, and now uTorrent’s latest version (3.2.2) includes advertisements.

After several tests, BitTorrent finally released their ad-supported client, uTorrent 3.2.2. The new client is compatible with Windows 8 operating system, and brings several other improvements. For more details, you can check out their release highlights. The adverts are in the form of sponsored torrents (you will see a new tab at the top of the client), thus creating a bridge between advertisers and the roughly 125 million uTorrent users.

“We’re very mindful of that feedback and of our core values as a company, and as such we’ve been adamant that we maintain the same levels of privacy as always and that we do not interrupt the user experience with our ads,” BitTorrent’s Matt Mason told TorrentFreak.

“In online conversations and live walk-throughs, users are largely accepting and in many cases interested in the offers we put forward, which include artist content and our own new technologies, betas and product news.”

And, as promised, BitTorrent made the new feature optional. By going to Options>Preferences>Advanced, you will see a line like this: offers.sponsored_torrent_offer_enabled. If you decide to opt it out, just choose false and the ads will go away.

As soon as you restart your client, the ad-bar will no longer appear. Although BitTorrent took a great “risk”, if I can call it that way, by implementing advertisements to their top of the chain client, the company is going to apply strict rules when it comes to choosing their advertisers.

“Our approach has been to selectively work with partners who understand that BitTorrent users are among the most sophisticated online, and thus have a high bar when it comes to engaging with advertising,” Mason told TF.

“We believe that delivering a quality advertising experience that resonates with a highly influential, tech-savvy audience requires careful diligence, and have had to turn away some of the demand at this time.”

According to the company’s statements, their first partners are quite pleased with the new feature. Furthermore, BitTorrent is already trying different types of advertising, aside from the aforementioned one.

“In terms of performance, it’s still early in our experimentation, but we’ve seen strong sustained download rates for partner offers. We are also experimenting with taking users to partner websites to see how that experience compares.”

You can download uTorrent 3.2.2 by clicking this link.

So, what’s you opinion on this matter? Is BitTorrent making the right choice by trying to increase their revenues, with obvious purposes, or is it just a marketing strategy that would lead to unwanted effects?

Tags: BitTorrent, file sharing applications, file-sharing, p2p clients, uTorrent