the battery life of our Vaio PCG-GRT996VP seems quite short, about 1.5 hours.

Is this normal?
Does the Vaio have a memory for battery capacity?

For Apple notebooks this is well documented issue where resetting the
memory solves capacity issues

Casper wrote:
This is normal - actually better than average - for the GRT series. No,
there is no way to reset the battery to improve capacity. Older
computers using nickel-cadmium or nickel-metal hydride batteries
sometimes had a calibration program that reset the 100% charged level as
the total capacity declined with age. These apps did not reset the
charged capacity of the battery.

Q

Casper wrote:
I failed to add that battery life is a function of many operating
features. For example, a wifi card draws substantial power as does the
display at max brightness. Heavy CPU activity likewise requires
substantial power - this can include background programs, etc.
Improvements in battery life by reducing power consuming activities and
peripherals can be substantial. Shutting down the wireless alone might
add a half hour of operation.

Q