BitTorrent, which operates peer-to-peer file-sharing networks for downloading movies, TV shows and other digital media, announced that it has struck deals with three Taiwanese consumer-electronics manufacturers -- ASUSTeK Computer, Planex Communications and QNAP Systems -- to embed BitTorrent’s download-manager software.
ASUSTeK (known as ASUS) and Planex plan to embed the BitTorrent code into their home-networking routers. QNAP expects to integrate the software into network-attached storage devices aimed at consumers.
“We are thrilled to announce new CE devices enhanced with our technology, enabling consumers to enjoy a world of digital content even when they are away from their PCs,” BitTorrent president and cofounder Ashwin Navin said in a press release.
Like other peer-to-peer file-sharing networks, San Francisco-based BitTorrent has been viewed as a haven for sharing content in violation of copyright laws. In fact, there’s an independent site called The Pirate Bay (thepiratebay.org) that hosts a directory of content available on BitTorrent, which launched in 2001.
However, earlier this year, BitTorrent announced licensing deals with Warner Bros. Entertainment Group, as well as four independent movie studios, to allow BitTorrent to sell video titles protected with digital-rights management over the Internet.
