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We have managed to playtest the new barbarian rage system extensively and we have found several real problems associated with rage use and resource tracking.
The rage points tend to confuse the barbarian player in game. They spend an inordinate amount of time tracking these points and determining remaining points and converting them into action.
As a DM, I really dislike the score keeping for rage. It is not an intuitive system. I would prefer a more sage-like approach. You select a rage ability. You then have a number of set uses. I think it would be easier for people to track during the game.
I'm thinking that in my playtest I'm going to go with Jason's alternative version of rage powers (Brodiggan Gale links a nice pdf version here), because I am expecting the sorts of things you found to be problems with the rage points.
See now, ive been playing a barbarian in Crimson Throne, and keeping track of the points doesn't bother me one bit. The flexability that the barbarian has been given in Pathfinder is wonderfull , and it FAR outweighs any minor book keeping that the player needs to do. I also think that channeling the fundimental forces of rage and emotion can easily translate itself into magical effects. Passion can move mountains...just ask any politician (or bard for that matter).
Having said that, I do think that some of the powers themselves need to be tweeked, some are too powerfull, some , not powerfull enough, and some are just not "fleashed out". But I stand in favor of the point system itself, even if PAIZO removes it , my group is still going to use it, if necessary we can tweak the powers ourselves.