One of the most important things about a portable device is that you can actually play it without being near an electrical outlet. For instance, my DS runs for an impressively long time without dying while my ancient laptop on the other hand pretty much commits suicide every time I unplug it from a wall. This makes my laptop not that great of a portable device and my DS a really good one. The PSP has been resting somewhere between the two with a battery life that is acceptable but nowhere near great. Unfortunately that acceptable running time is getting even shorter with the PSP 3000.

In a recent video, which is basically an ad for the PSP, Sony Computer Entertainment America product marketing manager John Koller spoke about the battery life, saying, “Battery life will decrease by a small amount, it’s about 20 minutes maybe 30 minutes and that’s because there’s a larger power draw with the brighter screen.” 30 minutes less is a small amount? That’s a pretty big chunk of gaming if you ask me. Don’t worry though, Sony will be keeping the battery extending pack they sell compatible. They’re just that thoughtful.