Online security doesn't exactly inspire confidence these days but BitTorrent aims to ease privacy woes with the help of Bleep, a chat app capable of voice calls and texts.
Announced for an alpha release on Sept. 17, Bleep is fully encrypted so only the sender and the recipient can see what messages contain. Data is also only stored on devices so there's no risk of information being mined from a server. Users can also delete their message history so absolutely no trace of a conversation is left behind.
Bleep is guided by the idea that a peer-to-peer structure like what BitTorrent uses as a torrent client offers more security than the usual cloud-based structure that messaging apps follow.
To achieve this, BitTorrent utilizes a server-less architecture built around a DHT or a distributed hash table. The DHT is then continuously updated to expand coverage while Bleep is in alpha. To sign into the service, users also have the choice of using their mobile number or email address or accessing the chat app in incognito mode, pointing out that personally identifiable information is not needed to use Bleep.
For those who want to, contacts may be imported from Google address books. Other users may also be invited to use Bleep through a public key, QR code, SMS, or email.
While Bleep has just been made available for an alpha release, the chat app has actually been around longer. Launched in 2013, the chat app was known then as BitTorrent Chat. It was later on called Bleep as BitTorrent started sending out invites for a closed alpha release.
Why Bleep?
It's because the name references the kind of privacy the chat app is offering. Because it's so secure, no one has a way of capturing or knowing what messages are being sent except for the sender and the intended recipient. Even if someone did try, messages would be indistinguishable, as though users are merely saying nothing more than "bleeps."
Along with the alpha release, BitTorrent also unveiled the official logo for Bleep. "This has been inspired by the simplicity of a folded note. You write a message, fold it up, and hand it to your friend. It is fast and efficient. There is no middleman. The image of a folded note is designed to be a symbol of speed, privacy, and peace-of-mind in the digital age," explained BitTorrent's senior product manager Jaehee Lee.
Bleep is available for the Mac, Android, and Windows 7 and 8. An iOS version of the chat app is still under development.
