Saturday, October 2, 2010

TorrentFreak Email Update

TorrentFreak Email Update

Shocking: Apple Approves BitTorrent App For App Store

Posted: 02 Oct 2010 04:59 AM PDT

Apple is known for the stringent guidelines it applies when deciding which software to allow into their App Store – BitTorrent is one of the things on their ban list. However, one developer who carefully avoided the dirty word "torrent" in the submission process, eventually managed to get a BitTorrent-related App approved by Apple.

For those wondering why there are no BitTorrent-related apps in the App Store, it is because Apple notoriously bans all applications that have anything to do with BitTorrent. Apple argues that BitTorrent is often used to infringe copyrights and that such applications are a no-go for the App Store, forcing developers to go to outlets such as Cydia.

"Because this category of applications is often used for the purpose of infringing third party rights. We have chosen to not publish this type of application to the App Store," was Apple's official explanation to the BitTorrent ban. However, we’ve now learned that those who are creative in the App submission process, can get through.

This week the BitTorrent based “IS Drive” App was approved by Apple and added to the App store. The application allows users of Imageshack’s torrent download service to control and add torrent downloads through a handy interface. In addition, the App shows screenshots of completed video downloads.

Although the audience for IS Drive is limited to premium Imageshack Torrent Drive users who also want to cough up $4.99 for the iPhone App, the approval is noteworthy because Apple has always banned everything related to BitTorrent. We are pretty sure that BitTorrent Inc. would have loved to release a free remote control App for uTorrent as well, but they decided to settle for an iPhone web interface instead.

“IS Drive”, formerly known as “Jack Torrents”

TorrentFreak spoke to the developer of IS Drive, which was previously available on Cydia under the name “Jack Torrents”, about his victory and the chances that the App is allowed to stay on the App store

“I’m on dangerous ground here, and I know that,” Derek Kepner said. “I’ll probably add a search feature where it’s up to the user to manually add the torrent site they want. The app will not be designed to easily break the law and I hope no one intends to do so. But if a user is determined to break the law, what business is that of mine or Apple’s? They could do the same in Safari anyway, right?”

Kepner wrote the App because he loves Imageshack’s Torrent Drive service, and found himself wanting to queue something up to his Torrent Drive account when he was out of the house. This is exactly what IS Drive is for, and it works seamlessly.

Before submitting it to the App Store, the application already gained an audience at the Cydia store for jailbroken iPhones. However, by using just the right wording and avoiding the evil ‘torrent’ stigma, Kepner got it approved by Apple as well.

“I always had the thought that if I didn’t call the app a “torrent client”, Apple would probably let it through the review process. After all, there is no real torrenting happening on the client side. It’s *not* a torrent client. It’s an ImageShack Drive client,” Kepner told us.

“Plus, I didn’t see any reason for the app to be rejected in Apple’s recently released guidelines. So, I was very careful with this release to not use the dirty word ‘torrent’, and I’ll continue to carefully add new features, so stay tuned.”

IS Drive is now available in the App store for $4.99 for all Imageshack torrenters.

Article from: TorrentFreak.

Anti-Piracy Law Firm Evacuated After Bomb Threat

Posted: 01 Oct 2010 06:59 AM PDT

After nearly two weeks of DDoS attacks on various anti-piracy law firms and organizations such as the RIAA and MPAA, Operation Payback is still ongoing. In a possibly connected event, a few hours ago the office of the law firm Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver was evacuated by the police after a bomb threat was received. The firm is responsible for suing thousands of BitTorrent users in the United States in recent months.

bombWhat started off as a DDoS attack on the Indian anti-piracy outfit Aiplex Software has evolved into a global assault on more than a dozen organizations involved in anti-piracy campaigns. Aside from attempts to take down the websites of these organizations, many outfits also received numerous prank calls and ‘free’ pizza.

After having attacked the RIAA, MPAA, IFPI, BSA, ACS:LAW and many others, attention shifted towards the US law firm Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver this week. The firm, which started thousands of lawsuits against BitTorrent users under the name US Copyright Group (USCG) this year, is best known for pursuing alleged downloaders of the Oscar-winning movie The Hurt Locker.

Two days ago a group of Anonymous/4chan users called for a DDoS attack on the website of the law firm under the flag of ‘Operation Payback’. Minutes later it was taken down together with their email server. Although the site slowly recovered after a few hours, the trouble for the Leesburg-based law firm were far from over.

Thursday afternoon an email containing a bomb threat was sent to the law firm, whose employees contacted the police. In a swift response from the local police, members from the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office and the Loudoun County Fire Marshall's Office evacuated the building.

Several dogs trained in detecting explosives were brought in, but after a thorough sweep of the office no explosive devices were found. After the building was cleared detectives remained on the scene and the police said they will investigate the threat further.

Police spokesman Chris Jones said that the content of the bomb threat email was vague and that no specific reasons for targeting the law firm were given. However, considering the previous DDoS attack on the firm and the prank calls other anti-piracy outfits received, the sender of the email could conceivably be connected to (or inspired by) Operation Payback.

Earlier this week TorrentFreak spoke to one of the people connected to the (DDoS) operation to find out why Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver was included as a target. “They’re all anti-piracy lawyers,” was the non-disguising answer we got. “Think of Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver as of ACS:Law, but in the USA,” Anonymous commented, linking the Leesburg firm to the UK lawyers whose emails ended up on the streets after a DDoS attack.

According to the police report, no direct link between Dunlap, Grubb & Weaver’s anti-piracy efforts and the bomb threat has been made yet. Leesburg Police Department is offering a cash reward to anyone who can help solve the case. People are encouraged to report leads to the police by calling (703) 771-4500. Anonymous calls can be placed at (703) 443-TIPS.

Article from: TorrentFreak.
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