I just read about battery cycling (letting the battery completely drain before charging) to maximize battery life. I've only had my SP3 a few days, but didn't do the cycling. Can I start it now to remedy it or am I screwed and need a new battery to get a decent charge?
Not a problem, once a month is plenty, probably even once or twice every six months is enough.
Even two year old abused batteries can be restored from 60-70% of capacity to 90-95%.