TOKYO--Sony Computer Entertainment president Ken Kutaragi blasted his company's sluggish reentry into the portable entertainment market, according to ITmedia reporters who heard his talk Thursday at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan's Professional Activities Committee conference.

Though the Walkman once made Sony the king of portable electronics, in recent years the company has been so focused on protecting its music and movie sector that it failed to develop a respectable competitor for Apple's iPod before now, Kutaragi said. The PlayStation boss added that the past few years have been particularly frustrating for him as he watched Sony management delay focusing on the handheld market.

Kutaragi reiterated his reference to the PSP as the "Walkman of the 21st century," because in addition to its gaming capabilities, it will offer users the ability to play music and movies. Sony's plan to share the UMD format is a sign that the company is making strides to reenter the portable entertainment world.

The SCE president also criticized Sony for allowing its reputation as a technological revolutionary to wane. But, he added, "Things have only begun. We are continuing to grow."