uTorrent Goes Freemium: $24.95/Yr Option For Extra Features

[Octopuss]

Well, it looks like the freemium model of selling software is working quite well in the industry, as Bram Cohen's very popular BitTorrent application, uTorrent, has just adopted this model. Known for being fast, efficient and light on system resources, it has now gained a few pounds, sorry features in version 3, some of which are available only for a subscription of $24.95 per year. These include things like an antivirus scanner powered by BitDefender, a media player and integrated support for converting popular video file types such as MPEG4, H.264, Theora, and VP8, as well as MP3, AAC and AC-3 audio files. The media player is interesting, in that it allows playback of videos that are still downloading. Note that this feature is also available in the free version.

For those that still want to hang on to the lean and mean free version, it's still available and isn't going away any time soon.

I am sad to inform you and everyone else that this is no longer true. I just routinely checked utorrent forums only to find this shit in announcements:
https://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?id=123040

The next major change you will see is a fresh approach to creating a no-nonsense and free torrenting experience. You are all very familiar with how we have paid the bills so far. These new changes mark our next step towards finding that difficult balance between keeping our lights on and providing a positive user experience. This new build will display a featured torrent at the top of your torrent list. This featured torrent space will be used to offer a variety of different types of content. We are working towards bringing you offers that are relevant to you. This means films, games, music, software...basically anything that you will find interesting. We may not get it right on the first try but we will continue to improve our efforts based on your feedback.

We are also leveraging these offers to directly benefit the artist community including filmmakers, recording artists, game developers and more. We are going to show the world what all of you here already know: that torrenting can be used for good.




I knew something worse than the retarded great apps was going to happen and I was right. I'm sick to my stomach what they did with one of my favourite little tools.

Does anyone know a client that does what utorrent was meant to and originally did - just working with damn torrents and nothing else?

 

[qubit]

I am sad to inform you and everyone else that this is no longer true. I just routinely checked utorrent forums only to find this shit in announcements:
https://forum.utorrent.com/viewtopic.php?id=123040

The next major change you will see is a fresh approach to creating a no-nonsense and free torrenting experience. You are all very familiar with how we have paid the bills so far. These new changes mark our next step towards finding that difficult balance between keeping our lights on and providing a positive user experience. This new build will display a featured torrent at the top of your torrent list. This featured torrent space will be used to offer a variety of different types of content. We are working towards bringing you offers that are relevant to you. This means films, games, music, software...basically anything that you will find interesting. We may not get it right on the first try but we will continue to improve our efforts based on your feedback.

We are also leveraging these offers to directly benefit the artist community including filmmakers, recording artists, game developers and more. We are going to show the world what all of you here already know: that torrenting can be used for good.




I knew something worse than the retarded great apps was going to happen and I was right. I'm sick to my stomach what they did with one of my favourite little tools.

Does anyone know a client that does what utorrent was meant to and originally did - just working with damn torrents and nothing else?

So they're gonna stick an advert in it? Most likely an irritating, animated advert, too. :shadedshu

 

[Frick]

They have the featured torrent thing now, you just don't have to use it. It's still tiny and easy to use and uses next to no resources, there's just a few extra bars you don't have to click on.

And once again I can't for the life of me understand why qubit was allowed to post editorials.

 

[TheMailMan78]

But, but I thought Pirates were good people and would pay for a service if its good?!?! Isnt that the BS you people always push? lol

WELL this is a proven service you all enjoy....PAY FOR IT.

Gonna mark this thread to my favs. so next time I hear that stupid ass argument for stealing Ill just link it here.

 

[qubit]

And once again I can't for the life of me understand why qubit was allowed to post editorials.

Yeah, nice dig. But I haven't posted news or editorials for tpu for months, so why are you bringing this up now in an unrelated thread?

Also, it's obvious you've never done any journalism or writing, or you'd know that writing an editorial takes a lot more time, thought and effort than just repeating someone else's news. Therefore, you're just speaking out of ignorance.

 

[Prima.Vera]

Thanks but no thanks. I want uTorrent to return to the roots. Very simple program with very low cpu and memory usage. Version 3 is pure bloated garbage.

And keep in mind after downloading something like that, some don't seed. Also, good luck having tons of people seeding all the correct parts are all the correct times. An 80gb file is huge.

Neeeh. I have download some 152GB TV series in like 3 days, and in the end I had 1.5 ratio, so I was uploading more than downloading. I didn't even have to seed afterwards. It really depends on your Internet connection, tracker, and file.

 

[timmyisme22]

2.2.1 is the latest I've gone to... and even that is pushing it. Used 1.8.something for the longest time and prior to uTorrent was Azerus in it's infancy, BitComet when it was new, and something else prior to that. Bloody hell it's been too long.

 

[scoutingwraith]

Ive been using 2.2.1 for the longest and ive made sure to disable any updates for the program as i have been reading here and seeing that most people are complaining about the new version of the program.

 

[newtekie1]

So what, it has an advertisement in a bar at the top of the UI. Google started putting advertisements at the top of every search result page, I didn't stop using google as my search engine because it is still by far the best.

Also, I never even go into the standard uTorrent UI except when I first configure it on a new machine(about once a year). I use it daily, but I never use the standard UI, so I'll never even see the featured torrent thing.

 

[AphexDreamer]

With all the money pirates are saving by pirating watch them spend it on at least the tool they use to pirate with lol.

 

[NinkobEi]

I regretted updating uTorrent from the 4 year old version I had to the most recent. It added a freaking TOOLBAR to firefox and tons of other useless features. It went from minimalist to bloated.

 

[qubit]

But, but I thought Pirates were good people and would pay for a service if its good?!?! Isnt that the BS you people always push? lol

WELL this is a proven service you all enjoy....PAY FOR IT.

Gonna mark this thread to my favs. so next time I hear that stupid ass argument for stealing Ill just link it here.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I like uTorrent, so if I have to pay a modest fee to make the ads go away, then I'll be happy to. I buy all my other software legit, so this is no exception for me.

 

[NdMk2o1o]

I regretted updating uTorrent from the 4 year old version I had to the most recent. It added a freaking TOOLBAR to firefox and tons of other useless features. It went from minimalist to bloated.

Because YOU didn't uncheck the option to install them during the installation, I did a clean Windows 7 install a few days ago (damn Windows 8 upgrade ) and have since installed uTorrent with no bloatware thank you very much

I also have no ad at the top??

 

[Frick]

Yeah, nice dig. But I haven't posted news or editorials for tpu for months, so why are you bringing this up now in an unrelated thread?

Also, it's obvious you've never done any journalism or writing, or you'd know that writing an editorial takes a lot more time, thought and effort than just repeating someone else's news. Therefore, you're just speaking out of ignorance.

Because I hated it. And no, not ignorance, I'm well aware of how it's done. I just didn't like your style ("hate" is a proper word). But you're right, water under the bride etc etc. Whatevs.

I also have no ad at the top??

Same here. Up to date and all but no ads. Location based maybe? I dunno.

 

[qubit]

Because I hated it. And no, not ignorance, I'm well aware of how it's done. I just didn't like your style ("hate" is a proper word). But you're right, water under the bride etc etc. Whatevs.

Hey, feel free to hate it, can't please everybody, lol. On the other hand, lots of people liked my writing style, too. I still think your comment is ignorant or you wouldn't have said it.

Anyway, I'm making a lot more money writing news elsewhere now (in just the same style, too).

 

[NinkobEi]

Because YOU didn't uncheck the option to install them during the installation, I did a clean Windows 7 install a few days ago (damn Windows 8 upgrade ) and have since installed uTorrent with no bloatware thank you very much

I also have no ad at the top??

I'm usually pretty careful about that sort of stuff, so I like to think I would have noticed if something like that showed up. It seemingly did it on its own accord.

 

[NdMk2o1o]

I'm usually pretty careful about that sort of stuff, so I like to think I would have noticed if something like that showed up. It seemingly did it on its own accord.

There's a choice to do custom install or default, if you don't choose custom install then it installs the toolbars and bloatware without letting you know as you let it, if you choose custom install it gives you the option to uncheck them now you know to ALWAYS choose custom install.

 

[Creepio]

got rid of uTorrent out of frustration ( slow browsing and DNS timeouts while dling torrents )

Now use Tixati ( very lightweight torrent client, no overhead, no ads, no bullshit, it works just like the original tiny uTorrent client used to ). The best part is it is super fast, and browsing never slows down anymore even while dling multiple torrents at around 2 MBps dl speeds.

Try it, it rocks!! The only thing I did was forward my ports in the settings to my static ip address, no need to change any other settings in it... except maybe your default downloads folder location of course...