Features of uTorrent

uTorrent includes everything you would expect from a complete, reliable torrent downloader: highly detailed stats, support for RSS feeds, automatic shutdown, download scheduler and more. There are a couple things that uTorrent is missing though: a full torrent search tool and a built-in player to preview your downloads.

uTorrent 3 lets you play media in streaming as you download, rate and comment torrent files, drag and drop files to share them, and disable the UDP tracker.

Ideal for all user levels

Since version 3 uTorrent has sported a totally redesigned interface: more usable, easier to use and a perfect match for uTorrent’s web interface.

Just like previous versions, uTorrent 3 is easy enough to use for everyone no matter what their level of computer expertise is, but it also includes dozens of configuration settings that will please the most tech-savvy users. Also, this new version includes several beginner-oriented guides to make sure everybody can make the most of it.

Light on system resources

After a quick installation process (although there are quite a few prompts to install browser add-ons etc) and a handy built-in speed test to make the initial setting much easier, uTorrent is ready. The program takes up minimal hard drive and PC resources, which enables you to have a good amount of torrents downloading and still be able to use your computer without any lag.

Conclusion

If you're searching for a reliable, fast and lightweight torrent client, look no further: uTorrent is what you need.

Download uTorrent (µTorrent) 3.3.0.29677 in Softonic

With the release of Vuze, Azureus is jumping onto the legal torrent bandwagon. This application features the classic and extensive Azureus torrent client and adds to it an online platform from which you can download and submit legal audio and video content.

Vuze’s interface is a complete shake-up to what Azureus users are used to. The BitTorrent developer has decided to focus on online multimedia content and introduce user participation. The first thing the user sees is a "Find, Download, Play" screen to introduce you to Vuze. You can browse files by using the left side menu, divided in time, main channels and tags. The menu at the top also links to hot and new content. Vuze takes the web 2.0 road and you'll see that most of the files have tags. You can write out a comment and leave a rating. The program also makes it a no brainer to send a video by email and link to content directly from your blog or website. Additionally, there are social bookmarking links for each file.

Downloading torrents is as simple as using the search bar, which the gives you options to search the Vuze site and results from the major bittorent sites such as Btjunkie. You can also easily add more sites to that list if you wish.

We won’t expand on the qualities of the Azureus client, for which you can read a review here. Vuze tries to innovate by adding social tools to the program and providing legal content in the Vuze HD Network. There are numerous channels to choose from, yet we were disappointed with the content in general. On some channels there's very little to watch and on others you don't necessarily find what you were hoping for. Much of the content feels cheap and throwaway, even if it is in glorious HD.

On the downside Vuze does nothing to atone for Azureus's principal drawback: the overuse of your RAM and DSL connection. Yes, Vuze is still a resource and bandwidth hog, and there's nothing you can do about it.

The whole interface is really simple, though the program is so heavy you will get some slow down, and the amount of legal content is still limited, Vuze is a promising application for sharing and enjoying legal content.

If you're already hooked on the original Azureus bittorrent client, take a leap into the future with Vuze.

Download Vuze 4.9.0 in Softonic

Similar to VLC media player, ALLPlayer is ideal for playing stubborn video files that won't play in your usual video player. It supports subtitles and plays just about anything and if it can't play a file, it will try to download the appropriate codec from the ALLPlayer website. If you need subtitles for a film, it will even try and download those as well although this function is very hit and miss. An unusual subtitle feature is an automatic voice recognition system that actually reads the subtitles for those who are visually impaired although again, it's not very accurate.

However, one thing to be aware of is that ALLPlayer is based on DirectX which is notorious for being a backdoor for trojans and other malware. DirectX has been much improved and tightened-up since the bad old days though and this shouldn't be an overriding concern if you're thinking of using ALLPlayer.

There are tons of other features in ALLPlayer including an attractive iTunes style Coverflow browser, support for Dolby, and it even previews incomplete AVI files such as those that are downloading. The interface isn't as polished as VLC media player's version 2 release but this is a relatively minor drawback to a solid media player.

ALLPlayer is an excellent multi-format media player that's packed with features.

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The hoo-hah surrounding the closure of Napster all those years ago now seems like a distant memory. At the time, users were literally crying that they would no longer be able to share files for nothing over the Internet. As it turned out, they needn't have worried because since then we've seen countless P2P clients come and go. Aside from being the world's first radio-enabled peer-to-peer software, FileCroc doesn't bring anything new to the table, however, it does combine a wealth of useful features with a smart GUI.

With shades of Ares about it, FileCroc works through a decentralised network with more than 50 million users, meaning that you invariably find what you're looking for and transfer times are pretty quick. It can even be used to download Torrent files, giving it extra bonus points in my book. Thanks to its drag-and-drop control method, it's dead easy to start sharing files with the program from the get-go.

Besides just giving you a platform to share files, FileCroc also includes a smart chat facility, with the ability to create your own rooms and host files within them. You also get a neat built-in player that lets you preview and play songs before they download. I've heard some grumblings before about an adware toolbar called 'Navelex,' which installs automatically with the client, but I found no sign of it in this version.

If you want a fully-featured P2P client with a fast search facility then FileCroc could be just the thing you're looking for.

Download FileCroc 1.0.1.3006 in Softonic