UCWEB 6.5 English Beta

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ESPN - UCWEB 6.5 Java Beta

Guangzhou’s Ucfly is putting together a new release of their UCWEB browser.  It’s version 6.5 and a Beta for S60 and Java phones was released on Monday.  The resourceful crew on the UCWEB English forums have already translated all the menu’s and prompts to English for the Java and S60 2nd and 3rd Edition variants. You can read more about 6.5 and download the translated application from the following forum threads:

All of these downloads are unsigned. Which means that the S603rd version will not install unless you self sign it or have hacked your phone to allow installing unsigned native applications. The S60V2 and Java file should install and run on most supported phones although you will probably get some prompts to allow network connections, file system access, etc.

Both the Java translations come in two variants; one using the official 6.5 Chinese server and the other the 6.3 English server.  It looks like the S603rd one uses the English server and S602nd the Chinese one.  The disadvantages of using the official Chinese server are that the start page is in Chinese and because the server is in China behind the “Great Firewall” some popular sites including Vox and My Opera are blocked. With the English server no sites are blocked but you are using an unsupported configuration (6.3 server, 6.5 client).

I tried both server variants of  New88’s Java translation and didn’t see any differences in stability and feature set between them. I recommend using the English server unless you want to be a true Beta tester and report bugs back to UCWEB. There isn’t much point in reporting a bug on an unsupported configuration.

There is one rather large issue with all of the 6.5 translations.  They are sending an HTTP accept-language  header with “zh-cn” as its only value. This has the effect of telling web sites that Chinese is your preferred language.  Sites that support Chinese including Facebook, Google and My Opera will naturally send a Chinese page.  Unless your phone has a Chinese language pack you won’t even see Chinese though, just a bunch of little boxes in place of characters. In some cases it’s possible to go into the site’s options and switch to English. I was able to do this easily with Google and with a little more trouble with Facebook . On other sites it may be difficult or impossible to change the language.  I don’t remember language being a problem with the un-official translations of 6.3 so hopefully this can be fixed.

Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to very much new in 6.5.  The official release notes are here in Chinese with a Google translation here.  It’s pretty hard to follow the translation but 6.5 seems to be mainly a bug fix and optimization release.  A lot of the fixes address issues with touch screen devices.  The main new features seem to be:
UCWEB 6.5 Beta Tools Menu

  • Java and S60 both get new new menu items that let you send an image or the current URL by MMS or SMS. You can also compose and send a text messages from within UCWEB. The download block size can be configured, allowing large downloads on networks that limit download size
  • For Java: There’s now support for pages that auto refresh.
  • For S60: You can configure UCWEB to create its cache on the memory card and there’s auto completion of common phrases when entering text.

UCWEB is in many ways the best 3rd party mobile browser currently available.  It’s fast and stable and has all the great features that Opera Mini users have been requesting for years:

  • Tabbed browsing
  • Copy and paste, including the ability to copy text off a web page, even on phones with no native support for copy/paste.
  • A download manager for background downloading including multiple simultaneous downloads.
  • Changeable user agents to work around sites that force you to their mobile version when you want the full one.
  • Network proxy support in some versions allowing you configure proxy settings on phones that don’t otherwise let you.

The only real problem with UCWEB is its rendering. Pages tend to look pretty bad.  The Java version wraps text in the middle of lines and displays transparent GIFs with extraneous borders. The S60 variants are the worst  with some of the ugliest Roman fonts I’ve ever seen. They are prone to overlapping text and images and missing or extra white space between words.  I’m not fussy about  typography  and aesthetic rendering but with UCWEB, especially in the native S60 application, its so bad it makes reading text painful.

I’m pretty sure that the browser renders Chinese pages very well.  UCfly seems to be focusing on the Chinese market and I suspect that they don’t have much interest in or resources to devote to fixing the rendering issues with western languages. I can’t really blame them, the Chinese market is huge and supporting multiple languages is expensive.  It’s a shame though as UCWEB has the potential to be the world’s best browser.

Related Posts

Mobile Browser Test – UCWEB6
UCWEB 6.3 Official Signed English Version Released for S60
How to Copy PC Bookmarks to UCWEB
Automate Mobile Browsing With UCWEB Searchlets

50 thoughts on “UCWEB 6.5 English Beta”

  2. I am using uc browser 7.8 but i dont know why, i cant downlode file of size over 10mb,
    the where to downlode option is not visible. but i am able to downlod fils of 7mb can anybody help me plz.

    • There’s no setting in UC Browser that restricts the maximum download size. It’s probably a limitation of the phone’s Java runtime. Try using the phone’s built in browser for large downloads.

  4. Uc browser is a good browser i hav never seen before. but some it was not working properly on some branded phones like samsung,lg in samsumg s3310 uc 7.7 is not working properly would u pls solve that problem and in lg x330 only 7.8 is working but it is a china language version so pls all engineers would solve dis problem nd create a english version for lg x330. .so pls clear al these small type of problems

  5. as most of people knw opera is working free using mobile office settings by putting opera server address ( server4.operamini.com ) in its ui handler mode with address of t9space.com. Is any1 there who knw wht to fill in server address of ucweb coz itz better than opera

  6. I need ucweb server address.
    Like operamini is
    server4.operamini.com.
    I need the server adress so that i will be bypassing my service provider firewalls and will be browsing free of charge.

  9. I have nokia n70.By UCWEB6.3 I tried to save file directly to mobile.It says allow permission.What I will do?Please help me by email.

  10. The English server versions of UCWEB 6.5 (and 6.7 and 7.0) all use the same UCWEB server as the official English release of UCWEB 6.3. So if you can browse with English 6.3 for free, 6.5 should be free too.

    10.0.0.172 is NOT the address of the UCWEB server, IP’s starting with 10. are private addresses, meaning they are inside your operator’s firewall. The UCWEB servers have to be on the public internet in order to be reachable from all operators.

  11. Im still wondering if ucweb 6.5 will still give me free internet for orange network based in mauritius.. Ummm.. I have seen somewhere the proxy for 6.3 was 10.0.0.172:80.. Im stull wanting nice feature in 6.5 but with sane server n proxy so i get free gprs.. Thx if any consider my views..

  12. I’ve Got To Say Sumthing About “ikenna” Remarks About Dennis Bournique & Wapreview! Well I’ve Got Sum Advice For “ikenna” You The 1 Who Sucks! Because Every1 Knows Dennis Bournique Is The God Of The Mobile World! & Allways Answers Everyones Emails!

  13. i have gotten it from another better forum.i advice you upgrade your knowledge database.thats thats.cos your forum sucks

  15. Thanks for the career advice :)

    The UCWEB server address is hard coded inside the UCWEB app. As I explained you can find it by searching through the .jar file with an editor.

    I’m having a hard time understanding what knowing the server’s address would be useful for. What are you trying to accomplish? Are you trying to build your browser that uses the UCWEB server? The server talks to the UCWEB browser using a proprietary binary format so it’s not going to work with any other app.

  16. then wat is this forum for? you dont even know ucweb default proxy.i regret asking you.close this forum .go and start selling peanuts.in the streets of NEW YORK.GOD BLESS AMERICA.

  17. Where i can download ucweb 6.5/6.6/6.7 english version for wm2003se? Cause some link on forum.ucweb.com not working on my ipaq hw6515. Thanks

  18. ikenna, I do not know the proxy server addresses that UCWEB uses. You should be able to find it by opening the .jar file in an editor and searching for “http://” or “socket:”.

    Or you could ask on the UCWEB forum at http://forum.ucweb.com I’m sure someone there will know.

  21. I have ucweb 6.3 in my 7210 mob but it does not work. It shows network failure. Plzzz send me data that how i set it & use it without cost.

  23. Mohammad,
    If UCWEB 6.5 or 6.6 doesn’t work for you aren’t missing much. 6.3 works better than these un-official versions which have a problem that causes many sites to appear in Chinese on English handsets.

    Still, they should work, it sounds like you are using the wrong access point, proxy or server settings. Set up 6.5 the same as 6.3 and it should work. As for whether you are charged or not, that depends on your operator and data plan, but if 6.3 is free then 6.5 should be free too.

  24. Plz anybody tell how ucweb work free of coast by airtel live network..
    Dear frnd i m using both older n new 6.6 vrsn n 6.3.the older verson work free of coast but all new versn not work an error is show network failure.
    plz tell me how cn i use it

  27. can you please help me to how to subscribe on packing data on nokia 6288?
    thanks in advance…

  30. hitesh358,

    Wow you have 7710! That’s a rare phone that was way ahead of it’s time with it’s touch interface.

    The error means just what it says, your phone is not configured correctly for Java applications to connect.

    Setting up connectivity for Java applications is a huge problem that affects many users.

    Please see “Solving Opera Mini Connection Problems” (http://wapreview.com?p=466 ). Everything in that piece applies to UCWEB as much as it does to Opera Mini.

    The best way is to have your network provider or Nokia send the settings to your phone. You want the Packet Data, Internet or GPRS settings not the WAP ones.

    If that doesn’t work you will need to do a manual setup. Follow the instructions and links in that article to find the correct settings for your network and data plan.

    Once you have the settings you need to enter them into the phone. I’m not really sure how you do this on the 7710. I Googled a bit and came up with two different sets of instructions. No idea which is right. Try one and if it doesn’t work try the other.

    First Set: go to Menu > Control Panel > Internet Set-up > New Access point. Enter details for the following parameters.

    Connection name: [Any Name You Want]
    Data Bearer: GPRS
    Access point name: [depends on your network]
    Prompt password at every login: (uncheck)
    User name: [network dependent]
    Password: [network dependent]

    If your network requires a proxy and port
    Press Advanced > Proxies
    Protocol: HTTP
    Use proxy: (Checked)
    Proxy server address: [network dependent]
    Port number: [network dependent]

    Select the Connection name you entered in the first step as the
    preferred access point.

    Second set of instructions:
    Go to Menu > Tools > Settings > Connection > Access points > Options > New Access point > Use default setting.
    Enter details for the following parameters.
    Connection name: [Anything you want]
    Data Bearer: Pocket data
    Access point name: [network dependent]
    User name: [network dependent]
    Prompt password: No
    Password: [network dependent]
    Authentication: Normal
    Select the Connection name you entered in the first step as the
    preferred access point.

  33. Thanks for including my thread on UCweb forum ere, i am little disappointed by the release but hope the final version wil include some of the features pointed out by the people who tested the beta version….

  35. Ok buddy thanx for dat new feature. V define ucweb as the browser vhic provids us free surfing via airtel live. bt there r many things which can not b accessd by this new version my problem the browser is just transalated bt bt itz features are same(chinese), in many cases the chinese page opern thoug v enter .in or .com more than this new version ucweb 5.1 is better.
    Is there any solution for 6.5.

  36. Hitman,

    The one you linked to is missing Download Block Size in the Settings Menu and Send URL in the File Menu. These are the new features in 6.5. Case closed :)

  38. mannuforall,

    I KNOW it’s 6.5 even if Hitman doesn’t and I appreciate all the work you’ve done on it and the help you so give so freely on the UCWEB forum.

    Thanks for the heads up on the feed. I checked it and it seemed to be working. I did notice it had two redirects and I was able to get rid of one, So http://wapreview.com?feed=rss2 redirects to http://feeds2.feedburner.com/WapReview which is current. Let me know if you are still having trouble with it.

  39. Hitman Don’t fool by title of Ucweb 6.3
    Its coz the server address we use of 6.3 ver.
    But anyone can easily find that this one has auto refresh, download block, send url features, which never in 6.3 ver. Check carefully before you blame, and the pain of translating/moding these apps. Hope we fix soon.
    Dannis your feed url not working properly, it giving old news. So I burn a new feed of your blog. Its here- http://feeds2.feedburner.com/wapr

  41. Friends plz give real ucweb 6.5, the browser provided by is u is 6.3 not 6.5, dont fool the users.

  42. If you select default proxy 1, it use Ucweb’s pre define proxy. Otherwise use direct connection.
    You can change if you’ve knowledge of modification Ucweb. But if doesn’t make any difference.
    For language related issue, we still working on it. Hope we’ll got it soon. :)
    I’m also trying to give a different solution for it.
    Thanks for your review.

  43. Naveen, Thanks for the great job on the translation. I hope you can find a solution to the language issue.

    BTW, What’s “Default Proxy 1” in the General Settings? Is that for some specific mobile network? Which one? It would be great for users to have the ability to set up any proxy IP and port. Wasn’t that in some of the older versions of UCWEB?

    I fixed the New99 thing, sorry about that.

  44. Personally i was a little disappointed by this release. Nothing much new in either the symbian or java. But i would not complain though. Coz only UCWEB bothers to release frequent updates ;).

  45. Hi dennis, first of all let me thank you for including my translation thread in ucweb forum in your post here.
    As you pointed out right now the translation based on english server is not completely english, i.e only the startpage would be completely in english, but the user would be getting some web pages in chinese by default. I and mannu are working on it, hope we would fix it very soon.
    Pls also specify the download block feature introduced in uc6.5 beta java version. The download block feature allows the user to set the download block from the pre-defined download block sizes, it is through this feature that the user can bypass the download limit set by telecom operators worldwide like 10mb download limit set by orange in romania. Previously in java version the download block was 300kb by default. In this uc6.5 beta java the user could select 100kb, 300kb, 600kb, 1mb, 3mb as download block sizes.
    One more thing that I want to point out in your post that you have written as New99, actually its New88.

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