FORTUNE — The Moto X is Motorola’s first phone since Google (GOOG) bought the company last year for $12.5 billion.
It’s due out in late August or early September, depending on the carrier, and will sell for $200 with contract.
The usual reviewers got their hands on it last week. Comparisons with Apple’s (AAPL) iPhone, Samsung’s Galaxies and the HTC One were inevitable.
Walt Mossberg, Wall Street Journal: Motorola Mobility’s Moto X Offers Customized Colors and More. “I’ve been testing the Moto X, which starts at $200, for nearly a week, and I like it. In my tests, it performed as advertised, and showed strong battery life. But I wouldn’t call the Moto X a game-changer, like the original iPhone was in 2007. That’s because, today, voice input on all phones, including this one, is still limited and sometimes frustrating, and saving a step or a second for just a couple of functions isn’t earthshaking.”
David Pogue, New York Times. The Moto X From Google, iPhone’s Latest Challenger. “Unfortunately, the Moto X’s five breakthroughs don’t exactly shake the earth. It’s a fine phone, but it has to compete with the deeply satisfying beauty (and superior speakers) of the HTC One, the seething power (and superior screen) of the Galaxy S4, and the infinite app-and-accessory ecosystem (and superior voice control) of the iPhone. Moto XI, anyone?”
Joseph Volpe, Engadget. Moto X Review. “The Moto X exudes no tech halo like the Galaxy S 4 or the HTC One because it is the sum of averages. Here’s how I see it: You know those people who own iPhones, but don’t know which model number they own and also refer to all Android phones as Droids? This phone is for them.”
Brent Rose, Gizmodo: Moto X Review: The Android Phone for Everybody. “When we first got our hands on the Moto X last week, we were way more impressed than we thought we’d be. We’ve been using and abusing it since then, and we’re happy to say that the good first impression has held up. Forget specs. This is a phone that punches above its weight.”
Katherine Boehret, All Things D. Moto X Stands Out in Sea of Phone Sameness. “Moto Maker is a draw for people who want a stylish phone that will stand out in the sea of smartphone sameness. It’s a breath of fresh air, and it makes buying a smartphone fun for the first time in a long time.”
Alexander Cho, The Motley Fool. The Moto X: Not Good Enough. “If this is the best product that Google can come up with, it has failed. The new iOS 7 operating system and the unparalleled retail distribution of Apple are going to crush Motorola. All of the foot traffic that’s going to pass by the Apple Store this coming holiday season will see the company’s multitude of releases. The next generation iPad, next generation iPhone, and (if the rumor of Apple iPhone Lite is true) the iPhone Lite product line will pop up too. Apple is notorious for generating excitement for its products and services that Google/Motorola simply does not have.”
