I'd like to offer my impressions, if for no other reason than to get them out of my mind...
The initial few postings put my guard up a little. Mostly the almost immediate reaction to every suggestion was "Yes, we will do that!" Seems terribly short-sighted, and pandering. My reaction was that a real manufacturer needs a hell of a lot more R&D time, and lead time, for any meaningful changes.
Now, if "they" would have presented themselves as doing R&D, and wanted suggestions of stuff to TRY, that wouldn't have set my alarms off.
Presenting themselves as being able to so quickly make changes to something that was going to ship "soon"... hmm, nah.
Then, of course, there was the "limited" beta slots... which, as time went on, totally (un) surprisingly, more beta slots became available "act quickly, we have so few left!" this is classic sucker-hooking behavior.
What I have seen, looking at all the photos and vids, is basically a log vape. It is a pretty, glass-encased log vape, but it is a log vape. With a variable voltage regulator controlling the temp.
Making glass connector pieces that are swappable is pretty much the only "innovation" that I see. Working with the air path to provide a hotter blast on demand is cool, but not earth-shattering.
The truly disturbing thing to me, is how very quickly parts were swapped out. Along with more money-shilling (I'm not going to quote) along the lines of "as soon as we get more money pouring in, we'll get higher quality materials", then, lo and behold, there's a few more beta slots available. Meanwhile, the beta people keep waiting as, what, another bin of spare parts arrives to be pawed through for a more attractive heater cover? as promises of more "goodies" to be included grow, if they are just patient now.
I am seriously hoping, for each and every person who is launching themselves into the unknown here, that the units will end up being very nice for what they are. They won't be more than they are, but maybe the glass modules and the air path will make for a great log vape experience.
Oh, and in answer to "how do they get such great clouds?" - I'd suspect the moisture levels of whatever herb they are using. you will get more vapor off damper herb. and/or, a higher temp. You can preheat really hot, then turn the VVR down to whatever temp you want people to think you are using, and hit it quick before it cools - that will give you lots of vapor, too.