bt's 项目准备期 Arrives in Beta
File-trading fans can finally get a taste of 项目准备期, the previously announced effort to grow bt from a torrent downloading program to a social sharing and home entertainment ecosystem. (一个早期 alpha版本 of the software was announced in March.)
The beta of the 项目准备期 is now available from bt美国东部时间今天下午1点开始. This beta includes the same core software as the bt Mainline client, but a radically different user interface. 最终, 项目准备期 will take over for the Mainline client. File-traders who prefer the classic interface will need to use bt's lightweight µTorrent software.
That radically changed interface will do two things. 第一个, it will include prominent links to channels where users can download free media content or applications. This is intended to solve the problem of less technical users not knowing where to find content once they've downloaded a bt client. It also continues the company's efforts to highlight legally downloadable content. By partnering with media companies, bt has been highlighting free-to-download music, 电影, and application for many months now.
The new software will also allow users to create Facebook-like personal channels where they can share photos, 电影, 或者其他文件. The idea is that people can create as many channels as they like, perhaps for events like weddings or vacations, and control who can see the content inside those channels. Content will be hosted by bt, so the sharer won't need to be online for his or her recipients to see the content. For now, there are no size restrictions, so users can share as much as they like. There are also no content restrictions, so commercial songs or videos can be shared just as easily. Users will be able to comment on shared files and view comments in real-time. A future update will let followers also add content to channels.
"Until recently, most of your personal files were small enough to email or post to social networks. 现在, it's really easy to shoot HD video with your smartphone or snap high-res photos from a digital SLR. 这些大文件怎么了? They sit orphaned on your computer, or over-edited to make them small enough to share,埃里克·克林克说, chief executive officer at bt. "bt removes the size barrier and make it simple for you to openly share your creations."
最终, the client will grow to offer home sharing, 也, so users will be able download a movie and then send it to their television, 例如. This will require compatible third-party electronics, which aren't on the market yet.
有了这个新方向, bt is assuming that its large and highly active user base wants more than file downloading out of its bt client. 这是一个很大的假设. Historically, users have preferred sharing services that work through a browser, not a separate app. Gaining new users could prove difficult.
The beta is only available to Windows users. A bt representative said that a stable beta should be out by late summer, and that a Mac version will follow that by perhaps two months.
相关文章
Subscription client solves the problem of transcoding files for use on mobile devices.
2011年12月9日
Prototype device will be shown at IFA; will let viewers find and share files from their TVs.
2011年9月1日
The file-exchange company takes its first steps to becoming a full home entertainment platform.
2011年3月4日
在最近的拉斯维加斯消费电子展上, we sat down with bt's creator Bram Cohen to talk about his latest project: video live streaming with peer-to-peer delivery. Get a first look in this exclusive video.
1月18日
Apps Framework helps developers create one-click experiences using P2P distribution.
11月12日