Bitcoins - the new alternative currency?

It's been hailed as the new threat to fiat currency and unsurprisingly so with it's value doubling in a few short months in 2013. Controlled by a guerilla style peer-to-peer network, it's completely decentralised nature spooks analysts. Part-geeky project, part-currency that fuels the darker side of the internet..will Bitcoin ever be reagrded as a real currency?