Just wondering, is the Kindle Fire 8 beter for this than a Fire 7?
As I wrote before, I don’t have any knowledge of Kindle, but read something about a version wíth ads and one without.
Both are ok for use as WF console?
So Ads wil not annoy me?
And what if I buy a second hand Kindle, if the former owner has payed to remove ads, is that linked to the Kindle (so forever) or to the owner?
After playing around with a few Android and IOS devices, I’m sold on using the Kindle as a display console. I found the Fire Tablet to be the least expensive option and very reliable. I’m using the 7 inch Kindle Fire even though I need to scroll up to see battery info. I have 2 of these displays set up and found a couple metal book-ends around the house to use as stands (using 2-sided tape to attach the Kindle). I’m using an app call “Keep Screen On Free” to keep the screen alive and have installed the Google Play store to get the Weatherflow Smart Weather app. The Play Store took less than 10 minutes to get up and running using these instructions.
I’ve been using the cheap 7" Fire tablets that I got two years ago for $30. They really do work great…As soon as the weather turns warm I’m going to build a custom frame and hang them on a wall.
I started using an old Kindle since last year, had it leaning against the wall. But glad I found out how you did yours, looks really good! Already started looking for some book ends! Great job!
I used these wall mounts for my (now-dated) 7" 5th gen Fire tablet:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GDJYAT4/
When I was just on Amazon, I noticed this interesting option:
https://www.amazon.com/Installation-Damage-free-Display-Interface-Security/dp/B07L3CW2YZ/
It only works for 7" Fire tablets and is priced at just about what the tablet itself goes for on sale, not to mention that the official WF app wastes a lot of screen space in landscape orientation.
Back during the holidays, I picked up a new 8th gen 8" Fire tablet when they were on sale for less than the 7" model. I bought it to use as an automotive diagnostic scan tool, but I’m giving serious thought to upgrading my weather console from the 7" 5th gen to one of these. If they released the 10" Fire in an 8th gen model, I would buy one today to use as my weather console…
This one looks interesting as an alternate approach. Tough part is always the blasted power connector.
(reaches for the unused 7" Samsung Tab2…)
This thread has inspired me to revisit this and have it display 24/7 in my office. I just recently dipped my toes into 3D printing, so this may be my first real project to print out. There’s a slew of Kindle tablet plans available online: https://www.stlfinder.com/3dmodels/kindle-fire-7-stand
This topic inspired me to buy a Fire 8" and install the Google Play store and the WeatherFlow app. It all worked great. Thanks for the inspiration!
I feel the Amazon Fire is much better for a simple display than the Kindle. I have four setup at my house.
Does anyone have a hack to get the WF app to work on a Fire 7" HDX Gen 3?
Please explain what issue you are having.
Gary -
I have this old Fire I could easily dedicate to a display. Fire HD is running OS 4.5.5.3 (says that is current)
The WetherFlow App is not available from the Amazon app store, that I can find.
I tried installing the Google Store hack, but could not access the Google Store following Fire reboot - wrong version of the hack, improperly installed, who knows. I am not much of a geek or hacker, so who knows what I messed up.
I guess my basic problem is accessing the WF app form the Google Store.
I am sort of old and work best with step-by-step instructions.
Thanks for the reply
I don’t have one that old to work with. However I think you just need to find the correct version of Google Play Services.
Start here find one old enough, download it and install.
https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/google-play-services/
Yep, that is what I did. The Fire OS 4.5.5.3 dates back 2013 and has the codebase of Android 4.4 KitKat. The Google Play services updates go back to Oct 2014.
Looks like dead meat to me.
I will look for a newer, used Fire tablet for a display.
Thanks for the feedback.
Amazon has sales throughout the year. Just keep wstching.
The 7" model is selling new for $49 regular price. The 8" will get that low for sales (bought one over the holidays and love it more than the 7" model), and the 10" model drops to $99 as well (which will be my next wall-mounted PWS console)…
Amazon has “Black Friday” prices on the Fire tablets again right now!
7" (7th gen 2017) = $34.99
8" (8th gen 2018) = $49.99
10" (7th gen 2017) = $99.99
All prices “with special deals” on the lock screen. I always paid the extra $15 to not have them, but am going to save the money this time since a 24/7 weather console never shows the lock screen. I was going to hold out for when the 8th gen 10" was released, but $99 is too tempting and I’ve been fighting with the limitations of the aging 7" (5th gen) on the wall for a few months now.
There’s no saying how long this price will last, so as the saying goes…stock up and save… 
On a side note, Amazon popped up a suggested purchase yesterday of a Fire TV Stick when I was on their site. It reminded me that I have had a first-gen one hanging on the back of my TV collecting dust and consuming electrons for years now. After a brief search for the remote and a set of fresh AAA batteries, I switched video sources on the TV and the darn thing was still running…and up to date with updates!
Unfortunately, my good luck was about to end. I side-loaded the WF Android app onto the Fire TV Stick, and quickly discovered the limitations of the Android TV platform without a touchscreen. The WF app has no way to accept touch input, so it just sits there waiting for a touch to select whether the user wants to create a new account or login using an existing account. Oh, well. 
The WF web site does open in the Fire TV Stick’s Firefox browser, and displays the top 5 cards on the big screen. The ultimate waste of screen space, since I can’t exactly rotate the wall-mounted TV to “portrait” mode.
I also side-loaded the Fully Kiosk Browser app onto the Stick. The developer included basic Android TV functionality for trade show presentations and digital signage into that app, and it can display the weewx Belchertown skin enough to be almost useful. Although the display itself is 1080P, both web browsers render pages visible from a couch that’s 3 meters away…with large images and fonts legible at that distance.
Anyway, just mentioning it here in for the search tool, in case someone in the future ever asks if the WF app can run on a Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, or other Android TV set-top box…
*** Update - The Fire 10 (7th gen) came in today. It can display 10 cards on the screen in portrait mode running the WF Android app! If I’m not mistaken, that should cover every single card including the battery cards and forecast in a single-Air+Sky setup.
I’ll post pictures this weekend, once I figure out which orientation I want to mount it and get it mounted to the wall…
Today, I just received a refurbished Fire-8 from Amazon, performed the Google “Jailbreak” as described in an earlier post, downloaded Google Play, the WF App and setup the Fire-8 as a WF monitor.
I am having problems with the data getting updated to the Fire. Frequently the wind speed displays “- - -“ for a few seconds then displays a numerical value.
Not sure what may be causing this issue? Any help would be greatly appreciated 