Filed under: Software, Internet Tools, Beta Beat
Xtorrent 1.1 beta 1 released with major new features
Dave Watanabe has released v1.1 beta of Xtorrent, his excellent BitTorrent client. With this major x.1 release, Watanabe has included some significant new features like individual file selection, file prioritization, individual file completion status, and improved privacy options. Watanabe has updated Xtorrent's UI to help bring some of these features directly to the user, and I'm also noticing what I think are a couple of new preferences, such as the ability to individually toggle whether audio and/or video are added to iTunes after being completely downloaded. The new features are definitely welcome, and Watanabe is optimistic about some planned features down the road.
After trying far too many Mac OS X BitTorrent clients, I finally decided on Xtorrent and have been a happy owner. A base single user license costs $24, with the option to purchase lifetime upgrades for only $9 more.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Rob Roark said 2:10PM on 8-02-2007
Hmm, seems slightly odd that it takes Transmission getting these new features for XTorrent to finally get them. ONce a talentless hack, always a talentless hack Mr. Watanabe.
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adisor19 said 2:11PM on 8-02-2007
Nothing can touch Azureus in terms of usability, options and price. Azureus FTW !!!1
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joe said 2:44PM on 8-02-2007
Rob, keep in mind that xtorrent utilizes libtransmision so there will be some feature duplication between the two. (correct me if I am wrong). Regardless I am looking forward to the new features and will be trying out the new beta. It has a great interface and I personally love the rss feeds.
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NutMac said 2:51PM on 8-02-2007
Watanabe treats his customers like dirt. That's enough reason not to endorse his products.
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inrpce said 3:04PM on 8-02-2007
@commenter #4, It's be cause he himself, is dirt.
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ME said 3:07PM on 8-02-2007
NutMac,
I have newsfire, and i like it alot, but i concur with your statements on Watanabe people's skills are not lacking, they are just not present!
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jeff said 3:10PM on 8-02-2007
how does it protect user as far as privacy goes.
i got a letter from my ISP few months ago about an episode I downloaded from torrent using transmission.
it was from HBO and i haven't download anything since then.
does it have proxy built in?
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Rae said 3:14PM on 8-02-2007
As soon as I saw this headline, I was like "how long before this thread turns into a Watanabe-bash-fest". Not long, it seems.
Anyway . . . XTorrent is pretty, but I'll hold off and stick with Azureus (until μTorrent is released for Mac, that is)
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Paul Dunlop said 3:19PM on 8-02-2007
I must admit, as much as I try to give Dave some credit, I've bought three things off him, and whenever I've had a license issue or.... any issue at all to think of, he just totally ignores you. Takes you cash and that's that. No support, no help, nothing. It's a shame he makes such good software that's let down by.... him?
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Bratling said 3:19PM on 8-02-2007
Man, bunch of Watanabe-haters here. What's up with that? Did he pee in your breakfast cereal or something?
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Ben said 3:22PM on 8-02-2007
hmm... I still use Azureus for my BT downloads, and I have little to no complaints about it- would this, or any other BT client be any better?
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Sean said 3:29PM on 8-02-2007
LOL. Transmission developers created these features and Watanabe takes them and acts like he invented them or something. It's funny that he only updates Xtorrent after the Transmission features are done and tested. Doesn't even give any credit to transmission. The worst part is that TUAW rarely covers Transmission and every minor point release of xtorrent is featured here. Get the free, open source nightly builds of Transmission from here: http://transmission.bogg.org/
They get the features first and best of all it is free and open source - why pay $25 for a bittorrent client?
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rrob said 3:30PM on 8-02-2007
Note that there are several sites (oink, ILT, etc.) that reject XTorrent because of incorrect protocol usage. Oink allows Transmission, so maybe they use different versions of the underlying libtransmission lib. I agree with Rae, can't wait for the Mac µTorrent to go public.
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Entica said 3:40PM on 8-02-2007
μTorrent can't get released soon enough! If μTorrent is anywhere half as good as the PC flavour (the only reason I own a PC), it will destroy Xtorrent and Watanabe can disappear into a bad memory. Charging for a BT client is crazy own it's own, add in the fact that the code is just libtransmission and it makes charging for Xtorrent mind boggling ridiculous. Stay clear and wait for μTorrent. Use Transmission for the time being.
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Steve Grenier said 4:06PM on 8-02-2007
I don't know why all you people have problems with Watanabe. I've emailed him a few times and he responds to me. I don't know why he ignores some of you, maybe don't be a dick?
As for Xtorrent, its my favorite torrent app, the built in search is one of my favorite features if not my favorite, I'm really looking forward to this new version.
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BartRS said 4:21PM on 8-02-2007
Not sure why all the bashing either. If XTorrent shares the same library with Transmission it's obviously they're going to share features. He's adding his work to integrate the library with a nice UI (I haven't used it, but it looks nice in the picture), so I think it's fair he charges for it. You buy it if you want, so I don't understand again all the bashing.
As far as customer support goes, I own Newsfire and he always replied with helpful information everytime I asked for help. No complaints on my part here.
I currently use Azureus exclusively. I tried many other clients, but always come back to Azureus.
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Zeke said 4:22PM on 8-02-2007
As others have said, just wait for μTorrent for Mac -- it'll blow everything else out of the water. I use it on a WinXP system and I can't think of any reason why I'd use anything else, much less something I'd have to PAY for to download torrents. It's the complete antithesis of the idea of filesharing!
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Chris Brummel said 4:27PM on 8-02-2007
µTorrent has halted development:
http://enjoys.it/2007/07/28/µtorrent-for-osx-its-been-stopped/
I'm no fan of Dave Watanabe's handling of customer relations, but guys, seriously... From day 1 of releasing the first beta of XTorrent, this feature was on his list of to-dos. It's been out for a while, so it's not like he's stealing from Transmission. Also, I'm much more interested in his implementation than Transmissions.
But this is FAR from a feature that Transmission should be credited for. Now, whomever gets a WebUI first is going to be my main client. I'm betting on Transmission (which, by the way, is not going to be "their idea" either).
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Rhywun said 5:24PM on 8-02-2007
I used to use Transmission, until Xtorrent came out with its built-in search. That feature alone is worth the price to me. As for the developer, the software runs well enough that I've never needed to contact him in the 8 months or so I've been using it (knock on wood). As always, YMMV. Finally, Azureus might be great for experts but the rest of us don't necessarily have the time to invest getting it to actually work (I gave up after several hours myself) - flame away!
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Hawkman said 6:06PM on 8-02-2007
Chris Brummel - of course he's "stealing" from Transmission; XTorrent is merely a GUI for libtransmission, which he charges money for. Exactly like Acquisition.
This guy takes from the open source community, adds his mongrel GUI full of quick copies of the latest idea Apple has (whether it's appropriate or not) and then flogs it for money.
Not to mention the dubious morality of charging money for a tool which allows people to steal stuff.
All this, with a bad attitude to boot. What more could you ask for in a developer?
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