BitTorrent To Be In Routers And Storage Devices

BitTorrent on October 23 announced that it is collaborating with a number of global hardware manufacturers to promote BitTorrent-embedded consumer products. Planex and Taiwan-based Asus and Qnap are among the first consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers to implement the BitTorrent download manager into their digital home devices, according to BitTorrent.

In the US alone, 30 million households will have an entertainment network by 2010, according to Parks Associates. "CE manufacturers are still searching for the Rosetta stone of the connected entertainment market," said Harry Wang, research analyst with Parks. "To move beyond the early-adopter stage, CE manufacturers must ally with content and service providers, software developers and silicon designers to build elegance and usability into the product design and bring popular digital content to consumers' fingertips anywhere in the home."

"BitTorrent technology is clearly going to be the default platform for downloading high-quality digital entertainment, which makes them a key partner for us and a key ingredient in our product roadmap," said Ten-Long Deng, Associate VP, Wireless Device Business Unit of Asus. "BitTorrent is an integral solution to connect the divide between popular content and our devices."

Asus, Planex and Qnap are the first to announce plans to embed BitTorrent's download manager and client into their respective digital home products. Products include the industry's latest and most innovative wireless routers, media servers and network attached storage (NAS) devices. With the growing amount of legitimate content being made available via BitTorrent, hardware that supports the BitTorrent protocol will make it simple for users to consume content even while away from their PC. For instance, a BitTorrent-based router will enable users to connect to the Internet, schedule and download files all without the need for a traditional PC to be used.

Products announced that will include BitTorrent support:

• ASUS WL-700gE Wireless Storage Router; WL-500gP Router; WL-500gW Router
• Qnap TS101 NAS Server; TS-201 NAS Server
• Planex BRC-W14VG-BT Router; BRC-14VG-BT Router; BRC-W14V-BT Router; BLW-HPMM-U Router; BLW-HPMM-G Router

Source: DigiTimes

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