rebranded version of uTorrent as BitTorrent 6.0. The good news is that uTorrent and its community will not be replaced. Not now, and not in the future." />

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uTorrent Relaunched as Official BitTorrent Client

BitTorrent Inc launched their rebranded version of uTorrent as BitTorrent 6.0. The good news is that uTorrent and its community will not be replaced. Not now, and not in the future.

bittorrent utorrentThe rebranded version of uTorrent looks just like the original uTorrent client, however, it now includes BitTorrent DNA. Another significant change is the absence of the built in search for sites like Mininova, Torrentz and The PirateBay. However, you can easily add those under options –> preferences.

Last year, when BitTorrent Inc acquired uTorrent, it was said that the client will continue to have its own website and community for a while. Many expected that the launch of the rebranded uTorrent client as the mainline BitTorrent client would be the end of uTorrent, but this is not the case. When we asked BitTorrent Inc CEO Ashwin Navin about the future of uTorrent and the uTorrent community he told us:

“utorrent.com and uTorrent community will exist indefinitely. It’s vibrant and growing, and we value the feedback provided in the forums a lot. It is not our plan to fold utorrent.com into bittorrent.com, but foster growth for both independently.”

Great news, but some (former) uTorrent users will always have their doubts. Ever since BitTorrent Inc took over, a lot of rumors started popping up, and uTorrent was even banned from several private BitTorrent trackers.

Most people were afraid that uTorrent was sending data to the MPAA or other anti-piracy outfits. These rumors were fueled by the fact that one of the uTorrent Beta releases was marked as a trojan by some anti-virus applications. Here at TorrentFreak we looked into the suspicious behavior reported by some of our readers, but up until now we did not find any hard evidence to support these claims. With Wireshark we tried to replicate the findings reported by some users several times, both on virtual machines and in use systems, but we didn’t find anything suspicious.

But I’m sure this won’t comfort the really paranoid people among us.

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  • ZeroNex

    Bad and very sad news, anyway µTorrent 1.6 (build 474) was the last version before RIAA & Mr.Bram Cohen affair and is available here:

    http://kppfree.altervista.org/#uTorrent

  • Martin

    So the new uTorrent + BitTorrent DNA (BitTorrent 6.0) will be faster than the utorrent 1.7.2?

    If it’s faster can we use BitTorrent 6.0 to download from public torrent sites? It’s dangerous to use BiTorrent’s new client for public torrents?

  • jono

    I’m not really worried about it (yet).
    I’m sure very soon after an update that IS malicious, someone much smarter than I will discover it and you guys will diligently report it before I even realize there’s an update : )

  • feedbacker

    The problem is that uTorrent prefers when connecting with other clients

    so utorrent with utorrent connection is a breez but ….

  • casey

    f**k them, what they gunna do send a 3,000$ bill to every user running a utorrent version with malicious code? then lil miss Del Cid’s case would represent every user who got that bill.

  • Yatti

    Im sure Bit Torrent will wrap there features in to the new official BT client… Hopefully utorrent will continue to be updated and improved etc (without spyware and any official BT stuff stay out of utorrent…) I guess it has to though if Bit Torrent is to keep adding new features etc…

  • dil

    Will this mean that utorrent will finally go open source so that someone can take their code and make another good light program?

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  • 8

    I Have Utorrent 1.6.1 installed on my computer.

    I like it because it is pretty small but is there a better one i could be using. Is azereus better? I heard that utorrent was the most targeted by MPAA etc after Bittorrent.

  • Nicholai

    Thats why I downloaded uTorrent 1.4 from oldversion.com.

  • LIONDJ

    Be aware PB bann everyone who try to cheat on ratios because they are the TORRENTGODS OMFG…
    They can do everything with you guys, they can benn everyone with no reason because hey ours is the number1 torrent site!

  • Adam

    [quote comment="138242"]I Have Utorrent 1.6.1 installed on my computer.

    I like it because it is pretty small but is there a better one i could be using. Is azereus better? I heard that utorrent was the most targeted by MPAA etc after Bittorrent.[/quote]

    There is this client that’s quite a bit better you might want to try. It’s called “uTorrent 1.7.2″. It works quite well, and I’m really happy with it. Best of all, it doesn’t report any private information, so it’s safe to use!

  • David Harrison

    I used wireshark downloading files from just about everywhere, and I was unable to find anything malicious coming from uTorrent. Yes, it uses peer discovery, talks to the DHT, talks to the trackers listed in the .torrent file, … all the things that a good BitTorrent client is supposed to do.

    Furthermore, it still seems to use less than 3% of the CPU on my machine when downloading at around 3Mbps. Azureus and the Python mainline client use roughly 30-50% of my CPU.

  • Manno

    I beg to differ about µTorrent surprassing feature-richness of Azureus. This is just two features I would miss on a daily basis in µTorrent that still doesn’t have

    1. Filtering torrents
    2. Automatically remove dead torrents

  • oni

    Azureus is a complete resource hog, and despite whatever features it might have, it’s annoying as hell.

  • BLS

    I used Azureus for a year and then found how crappy it was when it started taking forever to load and all the resources it required.

    I’ve been using uTorrent since then and not had a complaint. That is if it stays the way it is with no spyware.

  • nate

    Will the new version of utorrent available on mac? I’m using transmission but it’s not quite on par with the speed and feature of utorrent

  • Hamster

    Now it’s official that utorrent/BitTorrent Inc. are merely surveillance-bitches for the MAFIAA. Fuck’em.

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  • rick

    I use the newest version on ZoneAlarm and it of course has the feature where it tells you if a program is trying to send info out that you didn’t approve of. Well, there’s been a half dozen times where I came in the room while utorrent is running, and ZoneAlarm has a warning saying that utorrent is trying to send out an email message. I blcok it and nothing bad happens, but wtf is it sending them and to who?!

  • someone

    [quote comment="138487"]Well, there’s been a half dozen times where I came in the room while utorrent is running, and ZoneAlarm has a warning saying that utorrent is trying to send out an email message. I blcok it and nothing bad happens, but wtf is it sending them and to who?![/quote]
    http://utorrent.com/faq.php#Help.21_.C2.B5Torrent_is_sending_e-mails.2Faccessing_the_web.2Fetc.21
    -.-

  • Hellmark

    I hope that they release the source to it.

  • 21

    U torrent 1.6.1 FTW

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  • Hamster

    They never will.
    “Security through obscurity” you know…

  • freakinc

    bit lord rules

  • illPhever

    i guess this statement at bittorrent.com doesn’t apply anymore:

    “By using software that was built by the same team that invented BitTorrent, you are guaranteed access to the latest, most efficient methods of getting downloads to your desktop.”

  • anonymous coward

    Why would utorrent try to get rid of it’s base? They have no reason other than self destruction. Wouldn’t it incriminate them if they admit that almost all of the people they serve are pirates? I’ll stick with Azureus though. I have a fast enough computer.

  • BardicKnowledge

    I would love to use utorrent 1.7.+ but the private tracker I use for much of my downloads decided to ban it.
    This paranoia over them contacting the RIAA/MPAA is just silly.

    They know they are under ridiculous scrutiny and and information being sent anywhere would be noticed.

    TF, I’m glad you guys didn’t jump the boat with everyone saying that uTorrent is evil, and trying to kill us all while taking over the world.

  • Hamster Gangbang

    I still use utorrent 1.6.1 and i won’t change. The “newest” one got messed up with spyware you can’t detect easily. RIAA & the others MAFIA bitches wanna catch people and ask for money. Fuck them all!

  • heh

    rly funny dat u guys sayin 1.6.1 is safe convenently forget dat 1.6.1 came out more then 2 months after µTorrent got bought. da MAFIAA already ownz j00!!

    buyout announce (2006-12-07 09:19:20): http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?id=17278
    1.6.1 announce (2007-02-14 11:11:07): http://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?id=19865

  • Transmitted

    I am very paranoid, but I am still using Utorrent ¬_¬.

  • Sabas

    I’d like to see proof of this alleged “spyware.” Spreading FUD is just not cool.

  • Hamster

    Better safe than sorry. 1.7.x has no must-have features.

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  • Timon

    uTorrent will soon be down and we’ll all be forced to use.. BitTorrent 6.0.. FUCK.

  • Slipk487

    im still using 1.6.1 build 490. go to filehippo.com. you could get versions back to 1.1.4. then just disable updating.

  • Def

    Unfortunately, those smart (or paranoid) enough to use the pre-sellout version use µTorrent 1.6.1 (build 490) instead of 1.6.0 (build 474).

  • Phi

    I am currently using this official bittorrent v6 to see how it performs. I notice that the technology (phyton, or something like that) behind it is a bit like Ono for Azureus. It chooses peers that is closed to you to maximise the down/upload performances. This technology no doubt is wonderful having said that if you are living in America or European countries.

    I am living in Asia, and I am currently downloading some classic cult staff that usually not within the interest range of most Asian people. So my problem with using this technology is, unless there is someone near me who is also downloading this classic cult, otherwise the download speed is painfully slow. The ‘nearest’ seed/peers I can get is in Brazil, which is only giving me 1kBs if I am lucky.

    Can anyone help me to change this default of selective seed/peer to random?

    Anyway, I still like this Official BitTorrent Client because if I am downloading Asian stuff, the maximum download speed can shoot up to 85kBs, which is quite impressive.

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  • PhiPhi99

    To let everyone know, I am no longer a BitTorrent Offical client user.

  • The Mechanic

    For those with issues, USE Peer Guardian. Forget firewalls and others. Ban the IPs completely, not just with ports. Increases KBS about 300% with clients.

  • Jack

    TO ALL DOWNLOADERS….!!!!
    I am a debut artist who’s just recorded one of the most expensive debut albums in recent history.

    We have just released my debut album as a FREE HQ Mp3 download.

    It was a tough decision for us to make because of the vast amounts spent on the album. We had two of the biggest record producers in the world work on it…. at Peter Gabriel’s Realworld studio and at Abbey Road studio in london.

    Despite all that, we recognise the massive potential the internet and free albums in particular offers. We launched last friday and have already had 1000′s of DL’s all over the world.

    Come over and download for FREE.. it takes 2 minutes to DL because we have a dedicated server.

    http://www.jackrubinacci.com
    Thanks
    Jack

  • BTGuard - BitTorrent Anonymously

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