diff --git a/src/login/login.go b/src/login/login.go
index 8e8d392..35f1cfd 100644
--- a/src/login/login.go
+++ b/src/login/login.go
@@ -438,6 +438,9 @@ var (
 	infoCol  = lipgloss.Color("3")   // yellow
 	greenCol = lipgloss.Color("2")   // green
 
+	cardBg   = lipgloss.Color("0")   // black card background
+	cardPad  = 2
+
 	avatarStyle = lipgloss.NewStyle().Foreground(accent)
 
 	fieldBox = lipgloss.NewStyle().
@@ -481,6 +484,14 @@ func (m *Model) View() string {
 	content := m.renderLayout()
 
 	if m.width > 0 && m.height > 0 {
+		if m.automata != nil {
+			bg := m.automata.Frame()
+			var sb strings.Builder
+			sb.WriteString(bg)
+			sb.WriteString("\x1b[H") // cursor home before overlaying
+			sb.WriteString(overlayCenter(m.width, m.height, content))
+			return sb.String()
+		}
 		return lipgloss.Place(m.width, m.height, lipgloss.Center, lipgloss.Center,
 			content,
 		)
@@ -488,17 +499,49 @@ func (m *Model) View() string {
 	return content
 }
 
+func overlayCenter(w, h int, content string) string {
+	lines := strings.Split(content, "\n")
+	cw := 0
+	for _, l := range lines {
+		if lw := lipgloss.Width(l); lw > cw {
+			cw = lw
+		}
+	}
+	cx := (w - cw) / 2
+	cy := (h - len(lines)) / 2
+	if cx < 0 {
+		cx = 0
+	}
+	if cy < 0 {
+		cy = 0
+	}
+
+	var sb strings.Builder
+	for i, line := range lines {
+		sb.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("\x1b[%d;%dH", cy+i+1, cx+1))
+		sb.WriteString(line)
+	}
+	return sb.String()
+}
+
 func (m *Model) renderLayout() string {
-	// top bar: power hints
-	top := m.renderPowerHints()
+	clock := m.renderClock()
+
+	// top bar: power hints on left, clock on right
+	var topParts []string
+	topParts = append(topParts, m.renderPowerHints())
+	if clock != "" {
+		topParts = append(topParts, clock)
+	}
+	top := strings.Join(topParts, "   ")
 
 	// avatar + form side by side
 	avatar := m.renderAvatar()
 	form := m.renderForm()
 	mid := lipgloss.JoinHorizontal(lipgloss.Top, avatar, "   ", form)
 
-	// DE switcher below
-	sw := m.renderSwitcherDots()
+	// DE switcher with specifier label
+	sw := m.renderSwitcher()
 
 	// caps lock
 	caps := m.renderCapsLock()
@@ -536,7 +579,10 @@ func (m *Model) renderLayout() string {
 			joined = pad + joined
 		}
 	}
-	return joined
+	return lipgloss.NewStyle().
+		Background(cardBg).
+		Padding(cardPad, cardPad+2).
+		Render(joined)
 }
 
 func (m *Model) renderPowerHints() string {
@@ -594,7 +640,12 @@ func (m *Model) renderForm() string {
 	return lipgloss.JoinVertical(lipgloss.Left, userField, "", passField)
 }
 
-func (m *Model) renderSwitcherDots() string {
+func (m *Model) renderClock() string {
+	now := time.Now()
+	return powerHint.Render(now.Format("Mon Jan 02 15:04:05"))
+}
+
+func (m *Model) renderSwitcher() string {
 	if len(m.envs) == 0 {
 		return swNeighbour.Align(lipgloss.Center).Render("no desktop environments found")
 	}
@@ -604,6 +655,9 @@ func (m *Model) renderSwitcherDots() string {
 
 	var parts []string
 
+	// session specifier (like "x11", "wayland")
+	spec := swDot.Render(m.envs[m.selIdx].Kind + "  ")
+
 	if cfg.ShowMovers && m.selIdx > 0 {
 		parts = append(parts, swMover.Render(cfg.LeftMover+" "))
 	}
@@ -636,7 +690,7 @@ func (m *Model) renderSwitcherDots() string {
 	}
 	dotLine := strings.Join(dots, " ")
 
-	return lipgloss.JoinVertical(lipgloss.Center, swLine, dotLine)
+	return lipgloss.JoinVertical(lipgloss.Center, spec, swLine, dotLine)
 }
 
 func (m *Model) renderCapsLock() string {