Interesting article on both counts!
The Signal Strength vs Interference problem applies not only to cell phones: many FM receivers also display Signal Strength - but a relatively few (at least at the Affordable Price Points) also display Multi-Path Interference: with my old Marantz, you often get noticeably better sound by adjusting the antenna for Minimal Interference as opposed to simply Maximum Signal Strength...
The battery gauge is a hoot: my Razr will display 2 bars, but plug it into the Charger and it immediately drops to 1 bar.... Leave it in the charger for only a few minutes it comes out right up to Full Charge!
Cynical view of American Mobile Phone Service Providers however - surely NONE of them would spec a phone that Deliberately Misleads their customers?!?!?
