Posted by Hew Moon on 9/24/12 9:25am
Msg #435623

Notary IPhone App

Does anyone us the $19 notary app for iPhone and iPad, our state does not require a journal so I think it would be useful?

Reply by Barb25 on 9/24/12 1:35pm
Msg #435654

I am not familiar with it. Is tht the name Notary IPhone App? What is it supposed to do?

Reply by Hew Moon on 9/24/12 1:44pm
Msg #435655

its called official notary journal. It automaticaly calculates your mileage traveled from closing to closing, you take a photo of borrowers ID and its kept attached to that journal entry, the borrower signs your screen just like a journal book, keep notes, record fees and expenses.No fingerprint option though. it has Five star ratings.

Reply by Barb25 on 9/24/12 2:47pm
Msg #435673

I'm going to look into this. Maybe I have finally found a

legit use for my IPad. Not that I need an excuse to have it.

Reply by JanetK_CA on 9/24/12 4:45pm
Msg #435686

Keeping copies of all photo IDs? Seriously?

I'm not at all comfortable with the idea of accumulating a collection of borrowers' IDs. There are so many potential security issues there, I wouldn't even know where to begin. And if I were the borrower and someone - particularly in a state where there weren't any background check requirements - said they wanted a photocopy of my DL as part of their journal record, I'd be very unhappy about it, to say the least.

There's such a proliferation of personal data being collected everywhere these days that I think we (i.e. the population in general, not just notaries) have become desensitized to it. However, identity theft is even more rampant than ever. And as notaries, we have additional responsibilities to protect personal data. What if the electronic device storing all that data fell into the wrong hands?

I'm just saying that I believe we should err on the side of being diligent, not cavalier, about protecting personal info that we have access to, at every stage of the process.

Reply by VT_Syrup on 9/24/12 5:03pm
Msg #435692

Driver's license becomes public record?

I emailed our state archivist a while back about who can get copies of our optional notary journals. He replied that all records kept by a public official are subject to members of the public unless there is a specific exemption in the law. So, I could go searching through the law to see if there is an exemption for any pictures I might take of driver's licenses, or I could just not take pictures of driver's licenses. Easy choice.

Reply by BrendaTx on 9/24/12 6:34pm
Msg #435704

I thought it was to take a picture of the signer. n/m

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 9/24/12 2:18pm
Msg #435663

Right on the site it says, "The Official notary journal App is compliant with all universal State Requirements as specified in the paper bound notary journal. Each State has specific requirements or suggestions and we have complied with all foundational requirements. "

Well... that's not true at all. It doesn't have the ability to handle fingerprints or support an attached biometric reader. Since CA require fingerprints for certain documents, that means this (and several other similar notary journal apps for the iphone/ipad) aren't usable for CA notaries.

I wish they were... if my ipad could serve as my notary journal, I'd be so freaking happy. The problem is that I've yet to find something that supports it. There are fingerprint authentication apps available, but none that integrate for a notary journal.

Reply by Clem/CA on 9/24/12 2:45pm
Msg #435672

How would you give that Journal to a court? or if you quit the court clerk? Would you have one phone to keep locked up as required and one to take on vacation?

Reply by Hew Moon on 9/24/12 3:23pm
Msg #435680

It says you can email yourself a printable version or print the journal at any time.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 9/24/12 3:23pm
Msg #435681

You can export the data to a file that can be printed or given to the clerk on disk. Electronic journals are completely legal in California, they just aren't practical yet, for CA mobile notaries, because of the equipment needed to obtain the fingerprints and signatures.

As long as the software is properly secured and in exclusive control, it's no different than a paper journal.

I wouldn't use it on my phone, though. I would only use it on on ipad with a stylus. It doesn't seem as professional to use it on a phone, at least to me.

I'd love to use an electronic journal. I WANT to be able to sue one.... but I've not found one that works for the mobile notary very well.

Reply by Gabriel Orozco on 1/13/13 8:06pm
Msg #450236

The "Official Notary Journal" is not bad still can be improved, I use "Inotary" available for Iphone and Android, they are working on an improved version for iphone that will be nice to use in ipads, the application uses the gps of the phone to help you fill location and address you can take a picture of the person and they can sign on the phone, is nice and they are working to put a fingerprint device to it, maybe latter this year, application is free and comes with 15 credits, you need 1 credit for each entry, then you can buy credits, 15, 25, 50, 100 or buy per month or year plans, Inotary has better signing technology that Official Notary Journal, the records are keep in a secure Cloud server and can be printed any time they use PDF format also you can access them on your phone or mobile device, I like more Inotary because I can check records on phone or PC, an update is coming so you will be able to use your computer to fill all the information then use the phone or mobile device for signature, give it a try even if there is not finger print option yet is free, don't save many records as you test it and those 15 will give you a better idea if is going to work for you.

Also get a stylus for the signatures many people are not use to the finger signing and is hard for them.
the best for signatures is the Adonit brand odd lucking but the best ( I tried several brands) just DON'T get the "JotTouch" that does not work and is very expensive.

http://www.myinotary.com/

http://adonit.net/