I must say I am not impressed by the manufacturer's response cited by the OP. I was venturing into the wild well before PLBs came about, and so far I have cheated death -usually by preparing carefully and exercising good (well, good enough, anyway) judgment and making sure my skills were up to the challenge.

I wonder how many people acquire a PLB as a panacea, thinking that when they get into a tight, they will just mash on the button and the Ready Red Hot Rescue Ranger will appear in a flash? Lots of people are far more rational and there are circumstances where I would certainly advocate a PLB, but basic skills are just as essential as ever...