Hasta La Gadget!

uTorrent is one of the world’s most popular BitTorrent clients, with most users preferring it over other solutions due to its lightweight operation and low memory footprint. BitTorrent Inc has slowly been adding new features into the client, upsetting some users in the process, but the latest change will no doubt be controversial. TorrentFreak reports that adverts will soon be integrated into the client that will should generate significant amounts of additional revenue for the company.

BitTorrent Inc took to the uTorrent forums yesterday to make the quiet announcement, indicating that adverts will be added to the client in a coming update within the next few weeks. Specifically, the company will offer featured torrents at the top of the torrent list, allowing artists and studios to promote their content to a huge number of users: around 125 million, according to TorrentFreak

The adverts will have several tiers. The first will promote any new features or services from BitTorrent Inc. The second will come from “offer partners,” which might include security products or privacy services, while the third will advertise independent artists. Anyone using the updated version of uTorrent won’t be able to turn offers off, however, instead only being able to skip any unwanted ads.

BitTorrent Inc says that the change won’t affect users privacy, but offers will be targeting based on IP address locations. As always, the company is trying to find a balance between offering free software and generating a healthy income, although TorrentFreak has been informed by a source that current revenue falls between $15 and $20 million, with the company “backed by millions in venture capital.”

Upcoming uTorrent update will feature adverts is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.

Back in May, General Motors suddenly ceased advertising on Facebook. No specific details were given, although it was believed that the advertising campaign had little impact. Now the Wall Street Journal reports that GM and Facebook are in talks to resume advertising on the social network. Senior executives have confirmed that both companies are currently in talks.

GM’s global marketing chief, Joel Ewanick, and Carolyn Everson, Facebook’s worldwide head of sales, met at an event in Cannes sometime in June. According to sources familiar with the matter, Facebook is trying to bring GM back as an advertiser, promising to provide better data on how it can turn commercials into cash. It won’t give GM preferential treatment over other advertisers, though.

According to sources, GM hasn’t decided to return to Facebook just yet as it has yet to see any form of advertising effectiveness from the platform. GM has also reportedly been meeting with digital advertising firms in order to gain a better idea of how to market its products for Facebook. GM is said to have spent $10 million on advertising with Facebook, a fraction of its $1.8 billion US ad spending, and also a very small part of Facebook’s $3.7 billion revenue in 2011.

GM and Facebook said to be rekindling advertising flame is written by Ben Kersey & originally posted on SlashGear.
© 2005 – 2012, SlashGear. All right reserved.