After getting called out for having an issue every cell phone has, Apple did a photo shoot of a testing facility that every other cell phone manufacturer also has and used it as marketing.
"It's Toasted" became the Lucky Strike slogan despite their protests and was a huge success. This wasn't entirely fiction of course, it was based on a true story.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Strike
See also: David Ogilvy's Shell campaign
http://www.copywriting1.com/2007/10/famous-david-ogilvy-tv-a...
And Claude Hopkins' Schlitz campaign
http://www.copywriting1.com/2007/10/claude-hopkins-schlitz-b...
(edit: simplified)
Does Steve Jobs have a curly mustache and monocle I don't know about?
And so yes, if anyone else does dare try the "we have cool testing facilities" move, they'll be patently copying Apple's marketing — not that this hasn't happened before.
The only other companies I've seen try to spotlight their facilities as being really cool and beneficial to customers have been car companies with their automated assembly lines and Intel. It doesn't work in a lot of circumstances, but there is definitely a huge cultural significance in the amazement at technology (or if you're not amazed, it's just nerd porn).
... So yes, I don't think that's a ridiculous word to use.
I just tried holding my Nexus One (UK) in different ways. I was able to squeeze it from 4 bars down to 3, but nothing else :/
Poor reception by AT&T is another real problem, but not at issue here.
Edit: More to the point, the grip that causes perhaps the greatest attenuation of signal is one of the more comfortable, natural grips for the phone. The effectiveness of any phone's antenna can be reduced if you hold it right. Most phones are designed so that the comfortable, natural ways to hold the phone minimally interfere with the signal.
FWIW, I think it's a lame response from Apple.