Marco Polo Video Walkie Talkie

Marco Polo Video Walkie Talkie is an app for exchanging video messages and answering when you have time. With it you can also spice up your videos with filters and effects. Download Marco Polo Video Walkie Talkie, and you will always be available for talking on video!

Design 5/5

The app is made as simple as can be, with one button and a swipe-based interface. Selecting the contact from the list to start the conversation is as easy as in any messenger. Recording video is even simpler, with just one big red button. As for swipe-based filter control, it leaves most of the screen for the video itself. It will take a little time to get used to, but indeed a little.

Usability 5/5

Before you start messaging, you need to create an account. Registration requires your phone number. The service will send you the confirmation code as an SMS in seconds after you send the number. Then you can optionally add your name (not necessarily real), an email, and an avatar.

After the app accesses your contacts, it displays its other users among your friends. If there are none (or those you’d like to aren’t in yet), you can send them invitations in SMS. Then you only have to select the contact from the list and record a message. With it you can organize your contacts into groups (and it won’t affect your phone book).

Unlike duplex video chats with both (or multiple) participants broadcasting simultaneously and seeing each other in real time, Marco Polo is a one-way walkie-talkie. All it does is exchange video messages. You record yours and send it, and then your interlocutors reply with theirs when they have time. If both of you are busy all day and cannot sync your breaks to have a full-fledged talk, that’s the option.

Features 3/5

Though the app appears simple, with it you can color up your videos in many ways. It offers Instagram-like filters, subtitles, emoji, stickers wherever you want them, to express your feelings or attitude. There is a preview feature. If you don’t like your record, you can delete it before it’s sent and record a new one. And, if the other user allows that, you can save their Polos to your device to watch later.

In-app purchases 5/5

Though this app is available for free, you can become a Marco Polo supporter by donating $9.99. It doesn’t give you anything but the supporter status. It’s completely voluntary, but one day you may just feel that the developers of this service deserve some reward.

The Bottom Line

Marco Polo is a unique video walkie talkie, and it will make conversation on video possible even when the participants cannot sync their timetables to talk in real time.

• Graphics 5
• Gameplay 5
• Controls 3
• Replay Value 5

Pros

Video walkie-talkie feature;
Videos stored on a cloud;
Filters, stickers and other bells and whistles for your videos;
Adjustable privacy;
Completely free.

Cons

It cannot do texting or video chatting in real time.