
BitTorrent Sync comes to Android - SamWhited
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bittorrent.sync
======
phunel
I understand the main complaint against BT Sync is that it's not open source.
That said, is it possible for anyone speak to its security? I've been testing
the desktop client for some time and it seems one of the most promising
applications I've used in awhile - even at alpha status.

Would like to recommend this to peers I work with as a potential collaboration
tool for projects that require security.

Next up, BT Mail? Would love to see that.

~~~
nivla
I started using BTSync a few days ago and I must admit it is a very
interesting and useful software. However there are a few things that bug me:

[1] It uses a public tracker to transfer your files, which mean anyone with
your secret phrase can download your files from the other end of the world.
You can't assign a private tracker or change the current one. (The use of
trackers can be turned off but when I did, it failed to sync, even within a
LAN)

[2] If a direct connection cannot be made, a relay will be used to transfer
your files. (This is turned on by default but you can turn it off in the
settings)

[3] .SyncIgnore which is supposed to be similar to .gitignore does not work as
expected.

[4] "Anonymous" statistics are collected and cannot be opted out or turned
off.

[5] The claim for privacy, security and encryption cannot be easily audited
since it is closed source.

BTSync definitely fills the void what Dropbox leaves behind but I wouldn't
recommend using it for anything secure.

~~~
megaman821
It looks like 1-4 are flaws that can be mostly attributed to this being
alpha/beta software and not fundamental flaws in the product.

I do wonder how they will monetize their final release. Perhaps a monthly
backup plan on their own servers.

------
sirsar
Sigh. There's a saying about closed-source crypto...

~~~
pampa
I tried it for a few days to sync my main laptop with my netbook. Could not
find any info on how it works and stopped using it. How does it generate keys?
How does it sync? How can i be sure nobody is reading my files somewhere else?
Back to rsync I guess, though the two way sync with syncapp was rly nice.

------
CodeCube
Would love to get HN's thoughts on this idea ... if BTSync were to release (or
have developed if it goes open source) a mobile SDK for ios and android, what
if an app that used this would just give the user a folder secret. This secret
could then be used to set up a folder on their PC to automatically get access
to and backup data from their mobile devices.

I for one would love this, because then I can choose how much infrastructure
to devote to backing up and sharing (between my own applications) my mobile
data.

------
foobarqux
Too bad that besides BTSync every Bittorrent Labs product runs exclusively on
Windows.

------
TimCinel
I really do hope a BTSync protocol spec is released.

Not sure if there are any efforts being made at reverse engineering. Maybe it
would make a good project =)

~~~
Grauwolf
It seems that somebody already started this
[https://github.com/picosync/workingDraft](https://github.com/picosync/workingDraft)

