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The Pirate Bay shutdown: the whole story (so far)
For the past decade, if you wanted to download copyrighted material and didn't want to pay for it, it's likely you turned to The Pirate Bay. Up until a police raid took it offline last week, it was the most popular place to grab Sunday's episode of The Newsroom or Gone Girl months before the Blu-ray hits stores. You didn't have to log in to some arcane message board or know someone to get an invite -- the anonymous file-sharing site was open to everybody and made piracy as simple as a Google search. That's what scared Hollywood.
BitTorrent needs your help to build its peer-to-peer browser
BitTorrent is looking for Alpha testers for a new product called Project Maelstrom, and what that is may surprise you: a browser based on the company's peer-to-peer sharing technology. What does that mean, exactly? Well, the company's keeping details hush-hush at this point (though it did release a picture of what Maelstrom could look like above), but if the browser works just like a torrent client, then it will most likely load websites from peers instead of from servers. BitTorrent believes that its success could not only protect people's privacy online (no servers means it won't be easy spying on your activities), but also help maintain net neutrality and keep the web open. Part of its announcement post reads:
BitTorrent now lets any artist offer paid bundles
BitTorrent's experiments with paid music and video bundles have clearly seen some early success -- and accordingly, it's opening up the floodgates. The peer-to-peer service now lets any artist apply to distribute content through paywall-based downloads, whether they're releasing music, apps or movies. As before, the allure is the sheer flexibility that artists get in deciding not just what you pay for, but when you pay for it. A musician might let the first 500 downloaders listen to an album for free, for instance, but can ask latecomers to pay for some or all of the songs. They also get 90 percent of the revenue instead of the 70 percent they get from most online music services, so there's a chance they'll take home more money if they produce a hit.
Thom Yorke's BitTorrent release had over a million downloads in six days
So, how did Thom Yorke's latest music-distribution venture go? Pretty well, it seems. The Radiohead-frontman's second solo album, Tomorrow's Modern Boxes, achieved over a million downloads in six days via BitTorrent Bundle, according to the peer-to-peer network's blog. Exactly how the numbers break down is a bit nebulous, though. BitTorrent says that those million downloads also include the freebie single and video as well as the $6 album, noting to Consequence of Sound that precise sales numbers were being withheld at Yorke's request. Still, it's a little exciting to see that Bundles could be a viable way for musicians to earn a living -- especially when streaming services are well-known for less-than-favorable pay-outs and business practices. Let's just hope this success isn't limited to acts with Yorke's inherent star-power. After all, even Trent Reznor went back to a traditional record label after toying with total independence. [Image credit: Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP]
Thom Yorke's new album is only available online as a BitTorrent Bundle
Thom Yorke has a history of going against the grain with his online music sales. His band Radiohead first released In Rainbows as a pay-what-you-want download, and he pulled his solo tunes from Spotify to make a stand on royalty rates. It shouldn't come as a surprise, then, that he's once again bucking trends by launching his latest album (Tomorrow's Modern Boxes) as the first ever pay-gated BitTorrent Bundle. You can listen to its first song, "A Brain in A Bottle," for free; forking over $6 will unlock the remaining seven tracks. And for now, it's only available online through BitTorrent's peer-to-peer technology. You can buy vinyl if you'd like a hard copy, but you won't find it on regular download or streaming services.
UK police threaten companies that sell domains to piracy sites
When a piracy site is targeted by authorities, the owner's usual trick is to move the website to another domain (and sometimes hosting provider) to re-establish access for users. The Pirate Bay is probably the biggest example of this, which has spent years avoiding internet blocks by leading police on a virtual game of Cat and Mouse. The City of London Police previously attempted to put a spanner in the works by hijacking ads to restrict their cash flow, but it's now turning its focus to the suppliers of those all-important internet addresses in its bid to limit piracy in the UK.
BitTorrent Sync lets you share folders on your PC using web links
Yes, cloud services like Dropbox make it easy to share folders through public directories and links, but you still have to put those folders in the cloud in the first place. Wouldn't you rather share them straight from your PC? BitTorrent hopes to make things that direct with its big Sync 1.4 update. Now, you can share folders with others just by giving them web links; you don't have to wait for the files to reach a remote server, or rely on Sync's slightly more obtuse Key system. You don't have to sign up for an account, either, and you can still limit access to prevent others from messing with precious documents. About the only headache is that your recipient needs Sync, although BitTorrent promises that it will walk first-timers through the process.
BitTorrent's Bleep messenger is a secure, decentralized chat platform
There's a distinctive sound your computer makes when an online friend is trying to get your attention. Sometimes its high pitched, other times its a low, warm tone, but regardless of your chat software, the onomatopoeia probably reads something like "bleep" which -- by no coincidence, we're sure -- is what BitTorrent is calling its new messaging platform. Unlike Google Hangouts, AIM or Skype, however, Bleep is a decentralized communication platform, design specifically to protect user metadata and anonymity.
Bittorrent tests the waters with paywall bundles for TV and music
BitTorrent is set to dabble in paywalls by teaming up with an independent producer for a sci-fi series called "Children of the Machine." Rapid Eye Studios will produce and fund the $1 million pilot, which will revolve around teenagers, global warming and technology gone awry. BitTorrent has worked with TV makers and major studios in the past, but is trying a brand new tact for the show. To fund a full eight-episode run, at least 250,000 users will have to sign up for a "BitTorrent Bundle" for $10 after seeing the pilot. Right now such bundles are free, but it plans to introduce paywall bundles starting in September with music content from a yet-unnamed "major artist." BitTorrent told the NYT it's looking for users "willing to reward creativity by paying a fair price" for the new scheme. It admit that it's a risky experiment, though -- users may be too set on a fair price being "free."
BitTorrent's revamped Android apps let you download just the files you want
If your Android smartphone regularly doubles as a peer-to-peer download machine, you'll want to check out BitTorrent's newly overhauled Torrent App and its µTorrent counterpart. Both apps have far sleeker interfaces that offer more control over transfers; you can now choose to grab only the files you want from a torrent, and you can specify where those files will go on your device. It's also easier for newcomers to get started. Prefer to do all your downloading from a PC? You're still getting a treat today. There's new µTorrent desktop software (a BitTorrent equivalent is due next week) that integrates BitTorrent Bundles, letting you easily unlock music and other content from within the app. You'll find all of the updated clients through the source links.
BitTorrent's peer-to-peer Chat service will use strong encryption to protect your identity
In the NSA age, being paranoid really doesn't mean they're not out to get you, so placating your fears has suddenly become a cottage industry. BitTorrent, for one, has just spilled more beans about Chat, it's peer-to-peer, encrypted messaging service that recently sent out a call for alpha testers. Rather than receiving a username, you'll actually be given a so-called cryptographic key pair, making it nearly impossible for others to guess your identity. Security is also enhanced with distributed hash tables (DHTs) -- like those used in uTorrent -- so that message requests are passed securely along the network to your intended recipient. That also avoids the use of a central server which could give a single point of attack for snoopers. There's no word yet on a release date, but the group is busy upgrading its backend for the service so you might be able to put the tinfoil hat in mothballs soon.
Daily Update for November 5, 2013
It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world. You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here. No Flash? Click here to listen. Subscribe via RSS
BitTorrent Sync beta 1.2 adds native iPad support, more
Since its release this past August, BitTorrent Sync has been picking up a heap of users, recently passing the 1 million mark. Today, BitTorrent has announced the beta for Sync 1.2, bringing expanded performance and capabilities to iOS devices. Version 1.2 comes with a major speed increase for users whose internet connection will support it, with the app being clocked at 90 MB/s over LAN. In addition, the app's design has been updated for increased connection speed and compatibility with iOS 7. iPad fans are also finally getting their own native app. iOS devices that use Sync will find a new iOS feature set in the app that allows users to send and sync files while in other apps using Sync, as well as allowing media to be saved from your Sync folders to your camera roll. You can find the download right now in the App Store.
BitTorrent Sync launches API for building decentralized apps, comes to iPad
BitTorrent Sync, the cross-platform tool for sharing files without cloud interference, hasn't managed to shake its beta tag yet, but that isn't slowing anything down. In addition to announcing the service now has more than a million active users monthly, and it's passed over 30 petabytes of data between devices, today sees an update for users and something for developers, too. The general release of version 1.2 is said to improve transfer speeds to up to around 90MB per second. A new native iPad app is out today, and the current iOS version has seen design tweaks and compatibility improvements for iOS 7. Sending and syncing data in other apps using BitTorrent Sync is now possible, and pics and video from your synced folders can be added to a device's camera roll. BitTorrent Sync is also discharging its API to any and all developers today. Just like the service itself, the API doesn't favor any platform, and will allow devs to tinker on all the main computer operating systems, as well as Android and iOS. While it means file-sharing support can be easily shoehorned into other things, the Sync team also imagines entirely new services build off the back of the underlying platform, making use of encrypted data transmission that doesn't rely on any centralized server.
BitTorrent teases decentralized chat client in the wake of security breaches
Today, BitTorrent announced it's building a private instant messaging client for our post-PRISM world. The firm told CNET that BitTorrent Chat should function like the company's other peer-to-peer services, using a form of torrenting's decentralized technology-approach that's been adapted for real-time communications. And while compatibility with other IM protocols is expected in the future, for now it's exclusive to BitTorrent account holders. You can even apply for an invite into the pre-alpha at the BitTorrent Labs site -- if you're so inclined, that is.
BitTorrent Sync lands on iOS, allows you to securely sync files between devices
Moving big files from one device to another is no easy task, especially when mobile devices are involved. BitTorrent aims to make the process of sharing large files a bit easier by bringing BitTorrent Sync to the iPhone and iPad. BitTorrent Sync uses a peer-to-peer protocol to sync your files. Rather than using a cloud server as an intermediary storage space, BitTorrent Sync sends your files chunk by chunk from one device to another. It works over a mobile connection as well as within your own internal LAN. The service also encrypts your files with an AES cypher and a 256-bit key that's unique to each and every folder you sync. Best of all, BitTorrent Sync doesn't cap your usage or surprise you with hidden fees. You can download the BitTorrent Sync app from the iOS App Store for free.
BitTorrent Sync coming to iOS this week (update: available now!)
BitTorrent promised that its Sync Beta service would get an iOS client, and the company is making good on its word with plans to launch the app this week. As with the Android release, iOS users will get to sync files of any size, send content to other mobile devices and back up photos. And if you're not carrying an Apple device, BitTorrent still has a small treat in store: it's rolling out a localization update that supports 10 major Asian and European languages. Whatever your platform of choice, you'll find more details at the source link. Update: And it's live. The download resides at second source link!
Comcast rumored to have new, less punitive anti-piracy measure in the works
The Copyright Alert System, more popularly known as the "six strikes" policy, hasn't exactly received a warm welcome thanks to the disciplinary measures it calls for (like throttled connection speeds). According to Variety, Comcast is currently developing a new way of dealing with piracy that's arguably less punitive than CAS. In the proposed system, users that have been flagged for illegal downloads via peer-to-peer file sharing services or using the BitTorrent protocol would be provided with links to legal means of accessing the same content through Comcast's own Xfinity service or third party providers like Amazon. Unlike CAS, this system doesn't seem to focus on penalties so much as it would gently nudge subscribers towards legal options. While it's not likely that the program is intended to replace CAS, it could potentially signal a shift away from an unpopular policy. Though little information is known about Comcast's plans at this time, we'll keep you posted as we learn more.
BitTorrent Sync Beta launches with Android app, file versioning
BitTorrent Sync Alpha isn't ready to equal rivals like Dropbox or Google Drive without a mobile component. It's a good thing that BitTorrent just launched Sync Beta, then -- the more polished release includes an Android app that syncs with computers and shares files with fellow Android users. The update also brings versioning through SyncArchive, which stores previous file iterations in a folder. Sync Beta is available on both Android and the desktop today, and BitTorrent promises that an iOS equivalent is coming in the near future.
Pixies release new single 'Bagboy' as BitTorrent bundle (video)
Yes, there have been BitTorrent bundles from high profile artists before, but it's still a nice surprise to see The Pixies release its first original song since 2004's Bam Thwok on the service. If you want to be amongst the first to hear "Bagboy," then simply download the bundle and unlock it with your email address. Those who do will then receive a complete version of the band's 2004 Coachella set delivered straight to their inbox. For those of you who haven't yet discovered Frank Black and his friends, the new single (plus a classic for comparison) has been tucked after the break.
