Xiaomi has just given a global launch to two of its latest flagship phones, the Xiaomi 17 and 17 Ultra, along with a Leica-branded Leitzphone edition of the Ultra. There’s no sign, however, of the 17 Pro, which launched in China with an additional display mounted next to the rear cameras.
Technology
5 best home inventory apps to protect your property in case of emergency
The recent disasters sweeping the nation, from the torrential floods in North Carolina to the fires still raging in Southern California, showed how vital it is to have an evacuation plan because you might only have mere seconds to determine which items to take with you as you evacuate.
While caring for your loved ones during this extremely stressful time should be a top priority, it is unavoidable that you must rebuild your home and life, which can mean having to provide detailed accounts of what you lost to your insurance provider.
Trying to figure out what to take when you are given seconds or minutes to evacuate or having to file detailed insurance claims afterward can be a painful and confusing process.
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Firefighters at a house fire (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Why keeping track of your home inventory matters
Home inventory and restoration apps can provide you with a tool to itemize and track every item in your home. Not only can these apps help you stay organized and fiscally responsible for everyday home projects, but they can also help you easily determine what you need to grab and where it would be when you have limited time to grab items to take with you when you evacuate. It is important to determine where and what to prioritize, especially if your home is at risk.
These apps can centralize all your home information so that you can stay within budget for home projects and maintenance work, and they can help you should you ever have to submit a claim after any disaster. It can also help you keep your home safer with routine maintenance. Additionally, creating a home inventory can help you determine if you have the appropriate amount of insurance coverage. Some apps allow you to upload important documentation for your home in general or specific items. This means if you ever deal with the worst-case scenario and cannot grab all the important home documents, your apps will have them stored for you and accessible by phone or computer.
Here are the top picks for apps that are best at keeping track of your home before or after a disaster.
A family watching their home go up in flames (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
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Top 5 apps for home inventory & management
1. HomeZada
A comprehensive home management platform, HomeZada, helps homeowners manage all aspects of their home, including but not limited to: maintenance, finances, inventory and improvement projects. Because it acts as a central hub to organize and track important home-related information, it will help you track, locate, rescue important items and make filing insurance claims easier.
Key features of HomeZada
- Home maintenance tracking: Create and schedule maintenance tasks such as HVAC servicing or gutter cleaning; get reminders for routine upkeep so it is one less thing for you to have to remember and prevent early replacement costs, as well as keep your home running more safely and smoothly
- Home inventory management: Ability to categorize inventory for all your indoor and outdoor spaces in a streamlined fashion with its established template so you do not have to start from scratch; assign photos, videos, receipts and warranty information for inventory items by room; critical for insurance purposes and disaster recovery
- Home improvement projects: Helps you create a budget, organize and track the progress of projects of all sizes around your home; store ideas, costs and documentation in one place to assist with tax and resale purposes
- Finance and property insights: Track home equity and overall property value by monitoring mortgage payments, utility bills and other home-related expenses
- Document storage: Employs key security features in storing important documents like purchase agreements, blueprints and appliance manuals
- Mobile access: Access available via web and mobile app makes it easy to manage your home wherever you are and however you want
Pricing
HomeZada offers both free and premium plans. Premium plans features include providing additional tools for inventory management, financial tracking and project planning.
Website
For more information or to sign up, click here.
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2. Centriq
While not as comprehensive as Homezada, Centriq has a strong focus on home management, which centralizes everything you need to organize, troubleshoot, operate and maintain your home.
Key features of Centriq
- Manage paperwork: Scan barcodes of appliances and purchases in the home, which allows you access to manuals and warranty information; photograph product receipts along with photos and video
- Maintenance tracking: Add tasks with a reminder along with any item in the app
- Mobile access: Access available via web and mobile app makes it easy to manage your home
- Troubleshoot with ease: Input product name or barcode with Centriq and get relevant troubleshooting videos to help you solve your problem
- Replacement and repair ease: Centriq will lead you to the correct replacement parts and accessories by simply inputting your model number
Pricing
Centriq offers both free and premium plans. Some of the extra features of the Premium plan include interactions between multiple properties and shared access for multi-users.
Website
For more information or to sign up, click here.
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3. NAIC Home Inventory
NAIC Home Inventory app (NAIC)
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners created the NAIC Home Inventory app to help you if you need to file a claim, as well as provide expert tips. The app showcases a simple, clean design of the inventory section with built-in room suggestions. Though a bit more generic than some of its competitors, this app helps you create an itemized list of your home should you need to file an insurance claim in the future.
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Key features of NAIC home inventory app
- Pro-tip access: Access informative guides from experts regarding insurance claims and disaster mitigation
- Home inventory management: Add or delete rooms suggested under the inventory section; use the barcode scan feature to easily pull up an item’s serial number; add photos and video with items
- Mobile access: Access available via web and mobile app makes it easy to manage your home
- Information access: Allows you to export inventory as a .CSV file without photos or as a PDF with photos
Pricing
NAIC Home Inventory app is free.
Website
For more information or to sign up, click here.
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4. Itemtopia
Itemtopia app (Itemtopia)
Unlike its namesake, Itemtopia actually goes beyond itemizing your belongings. Available in over 170 countries worldwide, the app allows you to manage services, warranties as well as medical records. A rich and interactive app helps you start with ease by incorporating AI intelligence.
Key features of Itemtopia
- Home inventory management: Add or delete items under “Locations” or “Item Collections”; add photos and video with items along with warranties and receipts
- Life management tools: Add medical records by individual, receipts by service and even manage pet’s vet appointments through the app
- Mobile access: Access available via web and mobile app makes it easy to manage your home
- Information access: Allows you to share export inventory as a .CSV file without photos or as a PDF with photos via email, text and other channels
Pricing
Itemtopia offers both free and premium plans. Some of the extra features of the Premium plan include larger storage (up to 2 GB or approximately 3,000 items), the option to add more users and the ability to showcase items for sale with a shareable link.
Website
For more information or to sign up, click here.
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5. Encircle
Created originally for home restorers and insurance adjusters, Encircle is a professionally geared app that can help homeowners stay disaster-ready. This app helps you record items around your home quickly. Because of its focus on industry professionals, some of the features and terminology might be confusing or unnecessary for an average homeowner.
Key features for Encircle
- Home damage assessment: Document damage and progress of restoration jobs easily, collaborate with contractors and report a complete picture of a property loss
- Inventory management: Take photos, video and notes and organize by room; generate reports to instantaneously detail the story of loss; ensure the highest level of accuracy with time/date, user and GPS metadata info
- Mobile access: Access available via web and mobile app makes it easy to manage your home
- Information access: Share a link to your Encircle inventory through text or email; access spreadsheet view by logging into the web version of Encircle; create a PDF version of your inventory with photos by using the app’s “generate report” feature
Pricing
Encircle offers both free and paid plans. Users can use the home inventory app for free for up to two houses. Encircle’s restoration software has a free 14-day trial but is otherwise a monthly or annual paid membership.
Website
For more information or to sign up, click here.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
It’s easy to feel chaotic and overwhelmed when disaster strikes or when friends or family members are grappling with huge losses in home and security. There are, however, home apps that can help you create a plan before and after disaster strikes so you can have one less problem to manage while grieving your losses. While the hope is that disasters will not happen to you, these apps I mentioned will help you know, organize and restore your home should disaster strike. With some of the easiest and best ways to create a home inventory, it will give you peace of mind and a proactive way to respond during an emergency.
Are you prepared for possible evacuation in an emergency? Have you survived a disaster? What did you learn, and what would you do differently? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
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Polymarket has been allowing people to bet on when the US would strike Iran next. Obviously, now that it’s actually happened and people have died, the prediction betting market is feeling some pressure. The site has been at the center of controversy before, including suspicions of insider trading on the Super Bowl halftime show and the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
In a statement posted on its site, Polymarket defended its decision to allow betting on the potential start of a war, saying that it was an “invaluable” source of news and answers, before taking shots at traditional media and Elon Musk’s X. The statement reads:
…
Read the full story at The Verge.
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Google has officially discontinued its Dark Web Report feature, a free tool that once scanned known dark web breach dumps for personal information tied to a user’s Google account. The service delivered notifications when email addresses and other identifiers appeared in leaked datasets.
According to Google’s support page, the system ceased scanning for new dark web data Jan. 15, 2026, and the reporting function was removed entirely on Feb. 16, 2026, meaning users can no longer access the feature.
The company said the decision reflects a shift toward security tools it believes provide clearer guidance after exposure, rather than standalone scan alerts.
If you previously relied on the free dark web scan as an early warning signal for leaked data, this change removes one of your sources.
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Google officially ended its Dark Web Report tool, removing free breach alerts tied to user accounts. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
So what did users really lose?
Google’s Dark Web Report acted as a basic exposure scanner. It checked whether personal information linked to a Google account had surfaced in known breach collections circulating on the dark web.
When a match is found, users receive a notification identifying which type of data appeared in a leak. Depending on the data breach, that could include an email address, phone number, date of birth or other identifying details commonly harvested during large-scale hacks.
The report did not display stolen credentials or provide access to the leaked database itself. It also did not trace the origin of the compromise beyond referencing the breached service when available.
After an alert was issued, the next steps were left to the user. Google recommended actions such as changing passwords, enabling stronger authentication methods and reviewing account security settings. With the tool now removed, that automated breach check tied directly to a Google account is no longer available.
What you still have access to
Google directs users to its Security Checkup, a dashboard that scans your account for weak settings and unusual sign-in activity.
Its built-in Password Manager includes Password Checkup, which scans saved credentials against known breach databases and prompts you to change exposed passwords. Google also supports passkeys and two-factor verification to lock down account access.
The Results About You tool lets users search for personal information in Google Search and submit removal requests for certain publicly indexed details.
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Without the automatic scan, users must now check for leaked data using other security tools. (iStock)
Alerts don’t always mean protection
Once personal information is compromised, it often ends up far beyond the breach itself. Stolen credentials and identity data are regularly trafficked on underground platforms where buyers can search for information tied to real people.
The BidenCash dark web marketplace was taken down by U.S. authorities in June 2025, and the Justice Department confirmed that the platform peddled stolen personal information and credit card data.
These illicit markets operate with a level of organization not unlike legitimate online stores. Search tools and bulk data sets are up for grabs and can be used to target any online account. This makes credential stuffing easier, where attackers test leaked passwords across multiple services in hopes of barreling into your account.
A breach alert tied to a dark web scan points to a leak at one moment in time; it does not follow whether that information has been sold to third parties or used in subsequent fraud attempts. For everyday users, this means that just knowing your data appeared in a leak doesn’t help much.
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Stolen personal information can circulate for years, making ongoing monitoring more important than a one-time alert. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Identity monitoring may be a better option
With Google’s scan gone, some people may consider dedicated identity protection services instead. Many of these services offer continuous monitoring of your personally identifiable information and send alerts about changes to your credit reports from all three major U.S. credit bureaus. That can include notifications about new inquiries, newly opened accounts and monthly credit score updates. Some plans also monitor a broader range of personal identifiers, such as driver’s license numbers, passport numbers and email addresses.
Beyond credit monitoring, certain services track linked bank, credit card and investment accounts for unusual activity. They may also monitor public records for changes to addresses or property titles and alert you if your information appears in those filings.
Many providers include identity theft insurance to help cover eligible out-of-pocket recovery costs. Coverage limits vary by plan and provider. Additional features often include spam call and message protection, a password manager, a virtual private network (VPN) and antivirus software.
No service can prevent every form of identity theft. However, ongoing monitoring and recovery support can make it easier to respond quickly if your information is misused.
See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Google’s decision to drop its Dark Web Report may seem small. But it removes a tool many users relied on. For some, those alerts were the first warning that their data appeared in a breach. That automatic scan is now gone. Google still offers Security Checkup, Password Checkup, passkeys and two-step verification. However, none of them actively scan dark web breach dumps for you. Stolen data does not disappear. Criminals copy, sell and reuse it. One alert shows a single moment. Ongoing identity theft monitoring helps you stay aware over time.
Now that Google has dropped its dark web monitoring feature, will you actively check your data exposure or assume someone else is watching it for you? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Related Article
The 17 and 17 Ultra will apparently be available soon in the UK, Europe, and select other markets. The 17 — pitched as a rival to the likes of the iPhone 17 and Samsung Galaxy S26 — will cost £899 / €999 (about $1,200), while the larger and more capable Ultra starts from £1,299 / €1,499 ($1,750). The limited-edition Leitzphone will be substantially more expensive at £1,699 / €1,999 ($2,300), though it includes 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, along with a few extra accessories.
The 17 is an extremely capable small-ish flagship, with a 6.3-inch OLED display, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, and large 6,330mAh silicon-carbon battery (though sadly smaller than the 7,000mAh version launched in China). I won’t be writing a full review of the 17, but did spend a week using it as my main phone, and found that the battery cruised past the full-day mark, though wasn’t quite enough for two full days of my typical usage. That’s far better battery life than you’d find in similarly sized phones from Apple, Samsung, or Google.
The cameras impress too, with 50-megapixel sensors behind each of the four lenses, selfie included. Pound for pound, you won’t find many better camera systems in any phone this size.
1/10
The Ultra, unsurprisingly, takes things to another level. It’s much larger, with a 6.9-inch display, and weighs a hefty 218g. Despite that, the 6,000mAh is actually smaller, though I found it delivered pretty similar longevity.
The enormous camera is, as ever for Xiaomi’s Ultra phones, the highlight. There are 50-megapixel sensors for each of the main, ultrawide, and selfie cameras, with a large 1-inch-type sensor behind the primary lens. The periscope telephoto is even more impressive: 200-megapixel resolution, a large 1/1.4-inch sensor, and continuous optical zoom from 3.2x to 4.3x, the equivalent of 75-100mm. Xiaomi isn’t the first to pull off a true zoom phone — Sony’s Xperia 1 IV got there first in 2022 — but the telephoto camera here is far more capable than that phone’s, with natural bokeh and impressive performance even in low light.
The camera capabilities are supported by Xiaomi’s ongoing photography partner Leica, but it’s the pair’s Leitzphone that really emphasizes that. Slightly redesigned from the 17 Ultra Leica Edition that was released in China last December, this includes Leica branding across the hardware and software, a range of Leica filters and shooting styles, and a rotatable rear camera ring that can be used to control the zoom. It’s the first Leica Leitzphone produced by Xiaomi — after a trio of Japan-only Sharp models — and comes with additional branded accessories, including a case with a lens cap and a microfiber cleaning cloth.
Xiaomi has plenty of other announcements alongside the 17 series phones at MWC this year, including a super-slim magnetic power bank, the Pad 8 and Pad 8 Pro tablets, and a smart tag that supports both Google and Apple’s tech-tracking networks.
Photography by Dominic Preston / The Verge
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