This week, Sony unveiled what the media has dubbed the NGP, or Next-Generation-PSP. The PSP is Sony’s handheld gaming console. From a technical standpoint, the NGP appears to be a very impressive piece of hardware. It will include a 5″ OLED touchscreen (similar to the iPhone’s), 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, cameras, a microphone, a GPS, and a quad-code ARM processor.

The PlayStation 3 is also an impressive piece of hardware. Tech-wise, it’s the most powerful video game console ever released. Unfortunately, Sony keeps making it less powerful.

Last year, Sony removed the ability for PS3 owners to run Linux. I’ve belabored the point, but last year Sony decided that since hackers were “messing with” Linux on the PS3, they would remove that option for all PS3 owners. When I bought my PS3 it allowed you to run Linux; Sony changed their mine, and through a mandatory software update, removed that feature. There is no comparison I can make that doesn’t sound silly. It would be like, six months after buying a radio, having the manufacturer decide you should no longer listen to classic rock, and blocking it. Or if the manufacturer of your printer decided you should no longer print resumes. Or if your television suddenly decided you shouldn’t watch the news.

A few days ago, while promoting the NGP, Sony did it again. With its latest firmware update, Sony has now apparently disabled the ability to upgrade the hard drive in your PS3. This isn’t some weird, fringe option that hackers dreamed up; Sony explains how to do it on page 36 of the owner’s manual.

Sony’s kooky antics doesn’t stop with the PS3. In 2004, Sony’s PSP used a unique and proprietary form of media called the Universial Media Disc (UMD). The next revision of the PSP, the PSP Go, removed the UMD drive. Previous PSP owners could still play the games they had previously bought … they just had to re-buy them, from Sony’s online store. The NGP will use another new proprietary format for games, and there’s no word of it supporting Sony’s Pro Duo memory sticks (like the PSP did), so you might as well beat the rush throw those in the trash now.

The NGP’s list of hardware features looks very impressive, but the first time someone takes a lewd picture with it will Sony disable the cameras? The first time someone makes a crank phone call using the device’s microphone, will they take that away too? If Sony decides too many people are playing free Internet-based games instead of buying new games from Sony, will they disable or limit the unit’s Internet access? And God help us if a suicide bomber ever uses one to detonate an explosion; Sony may just completely disable all of their gaming consoles for our own good.

Look — once is once, but more than one is a track record, and Sony now has a track record of remotely removing options that I had when I bought their devices. No more for me, thanks. I urge you to not buy a Sony NGP. Purchasing one is condoning Sony’s behavior. Giving them your money at this point says that you agree that they have the right to alter your device after you own it, without your consent. Right now it may not seem like a big deal to you — then again, perhaps Sony hasn’t removed a function or feature that you use and enjoy … yet.