For any Mac on macOS 14 or later
The tanuki that watches your Mac.
Arm PonPonKo when you step away. If someone touches your Mac, it locks the keyboard, mouse and trackpad, takes their photo and sends it to your iPhone in seconds.
macOS 14 or later · free iPhone companion · photos stay in your own iCloud
How it works
Four steps. Over in seconds.
-
Arm it
Click Arm, or press ⌃⌥⌘A, before you walk away. The tanuki around your notch opens its eyes and starts watching.
Asleep → watching -
Someone touches it
A key, the trackpad, the lid, the charger. If it was you, Touch ID or your password and nothing happens.
Eyes on the hand -
It locks and looks
Keyboard and trackpad lock, the screen says the owner has been told, and the camera takes their photo. The camera light is on, always.
Wide awake -
Your phone buzzes
Their photo, the time, battery and rough location land on your iPhone in seconds, through your own iCloud. Disarm from the phone if it was a friend.
Photo in seconds
PonPonKoSomeone is using your Mac.
Eyes that follow
The eyes live at the top of your screen, around the notch on a MacBook and in their own little island on any other display: closed when PonPonKo sleeps, open and glancing around when it's armed, wide and red when someone is there. During an incident they turn to look at the person in front of the camera.
Pick the eyes you like: Classic, Almond, Button or Lantern.
Your photos never touch our servers
- Your iCloud, not ours. Photos go straight from your Mac to your own private iCloud and on to your iPhone. We run no server that could see them.
- On-device only. PonPonKo detects that a face is there, on your Mac. It never tries to recognise who it is.
- The camera light is always on. It's hardware, and we wouldn't hide it if we could. PonPonKo announces itself when it locks.
- Location is optional and rounded to about a kilometre.
- No tracking. This website has no cookies and no analytics.
What it can't do
Honesty first. A closed lid or a sleeping Mac runs no code, so PonPonKo protects an awake Mac only. Holding the power button always switches a Mac off, which is why every photo is sent the moment it's taken.
Pricing
For one Mac. The iPhone companion is free. Prices include VAT. 14-day refund, no questions asked.
Monthly
€1.99/month
Cancel any time. Keeps working until the end of the month you paid for.
Start monthly- Notch eyes, four eye types
- Keyboard and trackpad lock, full-screen lock screen
- Photos to your iPhone through your own iCloud
- Disarm with Touch ID or your password, an emergency code, or your iPhone
- Incident history and false-alarm stats
Already subscribed? Manage or cancel your subscription.
Questions
Which Macs does it work on?
Any Mac running macOS 14 or later: MacBook, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio or Mac Pro, with or without Touch ID. Without Touch ID you disarm with your Mac password. On a MacBook the eyes sit around the notch; on other screens, including external displays, they get their own island at the top.
Why does it need Accessibility and Input Monitoring?
To notice when someone touches the keyboard, mouse or trackpad, and to lock them. That's also why PonPonKo is sold here and not on the Mac App Store.
My Mac has no Touch ID. Does it still work?
Yes. When you come back, PonPonKo asks for your Mac password instead. The keyboard stays locked for everything else while you type it.
What if I can't disarm when I come back?
Use your emergency code (a shortcut plus a code only you know), or tap "This was me, disarm" in the iPhone app.
Where are the photos stored?
In your own private iCloud database and on your Mac. You can delete them at any time. Samarkand Industries never receives them.
What happens if I stop my subscription?
PonPonKo keeps working until the end of the period you paid for. After that it stops arming and asks you to renew. Your history and photos stay yours.
Can I move my licence to a new Mac?
Yes. A licence covers one Mac at a time; email us or deactivate the old Mac from the app to move it.
Is it legal to photograph people?
PonPonKo is for protecting your own Mac. Rules on recording people differ by country and setting, for example at work. You're responsible for using it lawfully where you are.