A new accessory called Peekpal aims to turn the Steam Machine faceplate into a customizable color E Ink display capable of showing photos, gaming information, news and other dynamic content.
The upcoming faceplate uses a 960 × 680 resolution color E Ink panel and is designed to operate for months on a single charge. When the battery eventually runs low, it can be recharged through USB C.
Peekpal does not yet have a release date, but its developers plan to introduce it through Kickstarter. A limited number of early units are expected to cost $79, while the planned retail price is $149.
Peekpal Goes Beyond Static Images
The accessory is being designed as more than a simple photo display.
Its developers plan to provide several dynamic frames that can automatically present different types of information on the front of the Steam Machine.
Examples currently shown include Steam sale events, news, recipes, historical events, Reddit pages, gaming deals and rankings of highly rated PC games based on Metacritic scores.
| Peekpal feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Display technology | Color E Ink |
| Resolution | 960 × 680 |
| Battery life | Expected to last months |
| Charging | USB C |
| Local storage | Micro SD card slot |
| Mobile app | Planned |
| Dynamic content | News, Steam sales, Reddit, recipes, photos and more |
| Kickstarter price | $79 for limited early units |
| Planned retail price | $149 |
| Release date | Not announced |
Users will also be able to display their own images.
A Micro SD card slot is included so personal photos can be stored locally, which means the display will not always depend on cloud connectivity.
Mobile App Will Control the Display
Peekpal will come with a mobile app designed to manage the faceplate.
The app will allow owners to select which dynamic frames appear and organize when different content should be displayed.
Scheduling support could allow the faceplate to change throughout the day without requiring constant manual adjustments.
For example, a user could configure gaming deals or Steam sale information at one time and switch to personal photos or other information later.
The developer, Pierre, is also exploring which parts of the project can be made open source.
That could allow community developers to create additional integrations or new display modes after launch.
For a product built around customizable information, community support could considerably expand its usefulness beyond the features included initially.
Color Gives the E Ink Faceplate a Different Look
E Ink accessories already exist for the Steam Machine, but Peekpal's use of color is its main difference.
Traditional E Ink panels are particularly useful for devices such as this because they consume little power when displaying a static image.
That efficiency is what allows Peekpal to target battery life measured in months rather than hours or days.
Adding color makes the panel more suitable for artwork, photographs, game covers and information cards while retaining the low power characteristics associated with E Ink.
The 960 × 680 resolution should also provide enough detail for the types of images and information the accessory is designed to display.
Kickstarter Launch Is Planned Before Retail Availability
There is currently no confirmed date for the crowdfunding campaign or final product release.
Peekpal is expected to begin with a limited $79 Kickstarter tier before moving to a planned retail price of $149.
That creates a significant difference between the early crowdfunding price and the expected final cost.
The project remains in development, so features and availability could still change before release.
Based on what has been demonstrated so far, Peekpal is shaping up as an unusually flexible Steam Machine accessory. Its combination of color E Ink, long battery life, customizable dynamic frames, local photo storage and mobile app controls gives the faceplate a practical purpose beyond decoration.
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