I am pleased to report that my new pre-ordered Ti IO was delivered yesterday. I topped off the battery charge, cleaned it up, and put it to use through one session. I must say, I am impressed with how well the IO extracts vapor. It seems more intense than what I have noted with my OG. I also am in the "honeymoon" stage, so I really want it to be great. But from the first use I can say I like how it performs, and it feels like a 2.0 improvement over the OG.
Now, as far as things that weren't as I had expected, there are a few small items, but no deal killers. First, I also experienced the brownish residue, but that easily cleaned up and did not affect taste. Second, the Ti front end finish did not exactly match the Ti body, it's slightly duller. This turned out to be true of the PFE I ordered as well. Third, the box did not include the sticker with the ID code needed to register the IO. So, I sent HL a message requesting that they register the IO for me on their end. Last, the Ti PFE I received was broken, in that the screen was bent and had fallen out. I will have to return the PFE for an exchange. Thankfully, I already have a PFE I bought for my OG, and that perfectly fits as a short-term alternate solution. The battery in the IO is a GHB2.
The real key for me accepting the IO will be reliability. Everything noted above is just a nit, but still noteworthy. I just need the IO to consistently perform and be available for use when needed. To that end, I will update the forum again in a few weeks, after the IO has undergone a more extended burn-in.