PaperMETAR v0.5: A Major New Year’s Update & Kickstarter Prep

Happy New Year!

As 2026 begins, I am releasing a major update, labeled version 0.5, to get the beta units ready for the big stage. This release is packed with features and polish in preparation for the Kickstarter launch on January 13th.

Here is what v0.5 includes:

🎓 New Feature: Interactive Quiz Mode

A few days ago, I teased an enhanced way to test your aviation weather knowledge, and I am happy to announce it is now implemented! The enhanced Quiz Mode now supports multiple-choice questions. It’s a great way for you to stay sharp on your METAR decoding skills directly on the device.

🖥️ Display & Visual Enhancements

I have made significant changes to how data is rendered to make the most of the screen:

• Smart Typography: I’ve improved the fonts, specifically for the raw METAR text. This allows me to fit more text on the screen without sacrificing readability.
• Enhanced Main Display: The temperature and dew point are now shown in a more condensed format. I have also added the Temperature Spread and calculated Relative Humidity to the main view.
• Cleaner Cloud Rendering: The cloud layer graphics have been improved to prevent text and boundary overlaps, making for a much cleaner visual experience.
• SPECI Support: Special weather reports will now explicitly display the "SPECI" tag.

⚡ Performance & Under-the-Hood

• Fast WiFi Connection: PaperMETAR now remembers more details about the last access point used. This allows for a "Fast Connect" mode, significantly reducing the time it takes to wake up, connect to WiFi, and fetch data.
• Battery Accuracy: I have improved the battery measurement logic; the device now also displays a battery percentage. For the nerds like myself, the voltage can still be seen on the about screen.

🛠️ Fixes & Refinements

• Power Button Logic: I fixed edge cases where the device could get stuck and the power button would become unresponsive. The power button is now more resilient, holding it for 8 seconds will force a restart.
• • Note for early testers: If your device does freeze, remember that the right button on the back is designed to force a hardware restart. You can use a pin or pen to press it.
• Reliable Refresh: Pressing the button for the currently displayed airport will now reliably refresh the screen with the latest data.

⚠️ Known Issue (Beta Units)

• USB Disconnect Detection: On the current beta circuit boards, the device cannot detect when the USB cable is disconnected. As a result, the screen may continue to show "Charging..." even after unplugging. I’ve already addressed this in the design for the final production version, but unfortunately I can’t deliver an over‑the‑air update for this one! You can press any button after disconnecting to get the right status, or wait for the next refresh.

How to Update

All early devices support Over-the-Air (OTA) firmware updates. You will automatically be presented with the update on the next refresh. You can also go to Settings > Check for Updates to get this update.

Thank you to all my testers for the feedback! Please keep it coming.

I am incredibly excited to launch PaperMETAR on Kickstarter on January 13th, 2026. I am looking for more interest to ensure that this is the right time for the launch. Please join the prelaunch if you haven't already!

Happy New Year and blue skies!