BitTorrent Embraces Streaming Torrents, Takes uTorrent Web Out of Beta

Mark Wilson shares a report from BetaNews: Acknowledging that we are now very much in the streaming age, BitTorrent has launched the first version of Torrent Web. The aim of the browser-based tool is to make torrenting as simple as possible and -- most importantly -- support torrent streaming. It remains to be seen how many people are willing to switch from a dedicated app to a browser-based torrenting experience, but the promise that you can "play while you download, no more staring at progress bars" is certainly alluring. Files are streamable near-instantly as they download, but they are also saved locally in the way you're used to. uTorrent Web is available for Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge and Opera and the release finds BitTorrent partnering with Adaware to check torrents for signs of malware, and even download torrents without having to visit websites. Warning: the installer includes (optional) bundleware in the form of Adaware Internet Security and the Opera web browser.

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Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

Bandwidth that people are paying their ISPs for.

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

You're paying for whatever the ISP wants to do, within the bounds of what YOU signed.

Otherwise I wouldn't be paying for you and your fellow casuals to clog my pipe with your huluflix, re-downloading every time you watch something. You and your fellow surfacedwellers thirsting for fail videos and the music video of the month, or whatever the current youtube phenomenon is.

But I suck it up, so can you. I even deal with your clogging AND the market forces of your tripe gargling.

Downstream

https://arstechnica.com/inform... [arstechnica.com]
Netflix 34.89%
Youtube 14.04%
HTTP 8.62%
BitTorrent 2.80%
iTunes 2.77%

Beware...isn't open source

[110010001000]

It isn't open source. God knows what it is installing in your desktop and/or browser.

Re:

[110010001000]

Yes I honestly do. What closed source bittorrent client do you use? It probably contains malware.

Re:

[110010001000]

Bittorrent is a protocol. Vuze contains malware as well. You don't know what you are talking about.

Linux & Blob

[markdavis]

I am not interested in this software, but:

"Warning: the installer includes (optional) bundleware in the form of Adaware Internet Security and the Opera web browser."

"You can download the Windows app right now, and BitTorrent promises that a Mac version is in the works."

So it is a mystery binary blob, which is scary enough with something like this, but it is also not available for Linux. Good thing I didn't have any interest in the first place :)

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

Haven't heard of "uTorrent Web", but the protocol "TorrentWeb" (no micro/u, and no space) is completely browser based via javascript.

I guess it depends on the usage, but I know of one content producer that hosts their own videos that you can stream from a website with a more familiar youtube-like interface.
(The web software is called PeerTube if you're interested)

Though technically the viewers can aid in the torrent swarm, and probably most helpful there right after a new vid goes up, but for the most part

Project Maelstrom

[Hotice919]

Sounds like this is a semi-realized version of their shuttered Maelstrom project (http://blog.bittorrent.com/tag/maelstrom/). Instead of a browser built on bittorrent, it is instead a browser with bittorrent features side-loaded in. The idea instant access to viewing the files is interesting, but I don't see the big need. I think most bittorrent clients could probably force sectional priority downloads. /Plus the bloat on top is a big turnoff.

Cute!

[Bobrick]

Bundleware! That's what you call it?

I see what you did there!

[Mr0bvious]

BitTorrent is partnering with Adaware to avoid being flagged as malware.

FTFY.

Re:

[bloodhawk]

basically avoid anything these scumbags put out like the plague. expect to be inundated with malware/adware/miners. They lost the trust of users and have done nothing since to regain it.

Is this an implementation of WebTorrent?

[Anonymous Coward]

There is a torrent extension [webtorrent.io] that works in browser and uses WebRTC for peer connections. Disappointing summary/article/video all lacking any technical detail. Whether compatible or not, this at least deserves a mention.

BEWARE OF AdaAware

[Anonymous Coward]

"Warning: the installer includes (optional) bundleware in the form of Adaware Internet Security and the Opera web browser."

Beware of AdAware. LavaSoft used to be very reputable but they sold out: "The company was acquired in January 2011, as Lavasoft, by the Solaria Fund, a private equity fund front for Daniel Assouline and Michael Dadoun, key people of UpClick and Interactive Brands. SC Magazine reported that Lavasoft had been acquired by the same entrepreneurs who have been accused of selling software that is available for free to unwitting users under the guise of premium support, including the free version of Lavasoft's security program prior to acquiring the company itself[citation needed]. Security consultant Dancho Danchev has documented this controversy. Additionally, Danchev has reported in 2013 that Lavasoft was used to hide hard-to-uninstall programs into third-party software to trick the users in installing them, like in the K-Lite Codec Pack, and the Lavasoft Web Companion changed your browser without given permission. Although the company shields itself behind the complete legality of bundled software and claims that their software is only used to fight malware, there are users who have branded their products as malware." http://ddanchev.blogspot.com/2008/03/cybersquatting-security-vendors-for.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavasoft https://www.theguardian.com/media/2006/feb/23/newmedia.technology

Opera silently added an option ENABLED BY DEFAULT that consents to it reporting 'trending websites back to Opera'. What exactly that means is not made clear but read the fine print. "The information we collect may include: personal data, for example your name, email, IP-address, location; and non-personal technical data, for example who manufactured your device, your screen's resolution, your mobile operator's region and code. A complete list of the data we collect and purpose of collection may vary between our products and services. You can find detailed descriptions in the product/service-related sections below. We may share your data: To government bodies and law enforcement agencies to comply with the law, for example in judicial proceedings, by court order or other legal process To third parties (including professional advisors) to enforce or defend our legal rights, including our terms and conditions To a third-party purchaser or seller (including professional advisors) in connection with a corporate event such as a merger, business acquisition or insolvency situation As described elsewhere in this statement".

Opera

[sgunhouse]

On the one hand, I'm sort of glad to see Opera getting in early. Old Opera actually had a built-in torrent client without some of the downsides of many external torrent clients (which is, some of them would share other files on your computer without asking, thus potentially leading to unintended copyright violation). Not available in the current version, though.

New Opera is not a bad browser, and despite the misquoted fine print it doesn't share your information. But I don't accept it when other software wa

Re:

[gnick]

I stopped trusting Opera entirely when it was bought by the Chinese consortium "Golden Brick Capital Private Equity Fund I Limited Partnership [wikipedia.org]".

Re:

[Daralantan]

I miss the old Opera. So many things to customize and I tend to have a ton of tabs open - it had some nice tab navigation options. And I actually used a few of the gestures.

Streaming sites no longer safe

[Katatsumuri]

In copyright troll friendly countries like Germany, you should now think twice before using the streaming websites, too. They might well put you on some distributed download network, exposing you to 3rd party tracking and accusations of "facilitating unauthorized copying".

Proceed with caution

[TJHook3r]

I would imagine you would only want to use streaming torrents if you live in a country where copyright infringement is legal - can't think of any countries off the top of my head!

qBittorrent Download in Order

[Metabolife]

Browser based is fine, but I've been doing this with qBittorrent for years already. Download a file and set it to download in order, wait a few seconds and play the file as it gets written to disk.

Re:

[DarkRookie]

Because money is the only thing important.

uTorrent became shit anyways

[DarkRookie]

It really hasn't been good since they added the ads in.
The client just kept going down hill from there.
Use qBitTorrent now. Is better than uTorrent ever was.