SCS-C01 mission - AWS Certified Security - Specialty (SCS-C01) Updated: 2023

After recovering from an explosion at the launch facility last month, United Launch Alliance (ULA) is Getting ready to fire up its heavy-lift rocket for a flight readiness test before it can fly for the first time.

Update: May 25, 4:09 p.m. ET: ULA has postponed today’s static fire test, saying the company will roll the rocket back to the Vertical Integration Facility to “gain access to the booster ignition system.” A “delayed response from the booster engine ignition system” during countdown resulted in the pause, with the system requiring “further review prior to proceeding with the flight readiness firing,” the company said in a tweet.

Original article follows.

ULA’s Vulcan Centaur rocket is scheduled for its static fire test on Thursday, May 25 at 6:00 p.m. ET to make sure all systems are go for launch. The test firing will take place at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, and will be broadcast live through ULA’s YouTube channel. You can also tune in to the live action through the feed below.

For the flight readiness test, the rocket won’t actually get off the ground. Instead, ULA will load up its Vulcan Centaur rocket with fuel and fire up its twin booster BE-4 engines and go through the launch countdown. The point behind the firing test is to go through launch day timing and procedures. The rocket already had a tanking test on May 12, in which its hardware, software, and ground systems underwent final review.

The highly-anticipated debut of the Vulcan Centaur rocket was initially scheduled for May 4. Shortly before its liftoff, however, a fiery explosion swept over the rocket’s test stand at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. ULA was pressurizing the upper stage of the Vulcan rocket when a spark ignited due to an accumulation of hydrogen fuel, resulting in a massive fireball.

Following the explosion, ULA conducted an investigation of the incident. The rocket returned to its launch pad on Monday ahead of its final testing before liftoff, which has not been scheduled yet.

Vulcan’s debut has been pushed back several times already. Colorado-based ULA had originally hoped to launch its rocket in 2020 and then again in 2022. The rocket’s first stage is powered by two BE-4 engines built by Blue Origin, which were delivered more than four years past the deadline.

The fully expendable 202-foot-tall (62-meter) rocket is set to replace ULA’s Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, which have been in use for the past two decades. The Vulcan Centaur is designed to lift 27.2 metric tons (60,000 pounds) to low Earth orbit and 6.5 metric tons (14,300 pounds) to geosynchronous orbit. The BE-4 engines run on a mixture of liquid methane and liquid oxygen.

For its first mission, the rocket will attempt to deliver Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander, which, on behalf of NASA, is designed to deliver 11 payloads to the surface of the Moon. Vulcan Centaur is also carrying the first two Amazon Kuiper internet satellites, which are supposed to be delivered to low Earth orbit.

There’s a lot riding on the success of its inaugural flight. ULA needs to complete two Vulcan flights in order to get certified to launch U.S. military and intelligence satellites for the Space Force. The company is under contract to deliver 35 missions for the U.S. Space Force in the next five years. The Vulcan rocket is also booked to launch more of Amazon’s internet satellites.

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It’s been a tough year for rockets trying to fly for the first time. Two of the newest additions to the medium to heavy-lift launch vehicles, Ariane 6 and Vulcan Centaur, have been struggling to make their debuts, suffering multiple delays over the past three years. There is some hope, however, that their inaugural launches may be getting back on track.

After missing its debut flight on May 4 due to an explosion at the test stand, things were looking pretty bleak for United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket. On Thursday, the company rolled out its heavy-lift rocket back to the launch pad for pre-launch tests with plans to launch it in the summer, Tory Bruno, ULA’s chief executive, wrote on Twitter.

The fully expendable 202-foot-tall (62-meter) rocket has been in development since 2014. Colorado-based ULA had originally planned to launch Vulcan in 2020, but the highly anticipated rocket’s debut suffered multiple delays. The rocket’s first stage is powered by two BE-4 engines built by Blue Origin, which were delivered more than four years behind schedule.

Earlier this year, the two-stage Vulcan Centaur rocket rolled out to the launch pad for testing ahead of its inaugural flight. On March 29, ULA was pressurizing the upper stage of the Vulcan rocket when a spark triggered a fireball at the test stand at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. The explosion derailed the company’s plans to launch Vulcan on May 4.

The rocket is meant to replace ULA’s Atlas V and Delta IV rockets, which have been in use for the past two decades. Vulcan Centaur is designed to lift 27.2 metric tons (60,000 pounds) to low Earth orbit and 6.5 metric tons (14,300 pounds) to geosynchronous orbit (by comparison, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 can carry 22.8 metric tons to LEO.)

For its debut mission, Vulcan will be carrying Astrobotic’s Peregrine lunar lander, which, on behalf of NASA, will attempt to deliver 11 payloads to the surface of the Moon. The rocket will also attempt to deliver the first two Amazon Kuiper internet satellites to low Earth orbit. If its first mission goes well, ULA is hoping to schedule in another Vulcan launch this year for Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser mission.

The company is also under contract to deliver 35 missions for the U.S. Space Force in the next five years, but it needs to complete two Vulcan flights in order to be certified to launch U.S. military and intelligence satellites.

Arianespace has had its own share of rocket debut woes, sans massive explosion. The next-generation Ariane 6 rocket was also originally scheduled for liftoff in 2020, but was later pushed to 2022 and is now likely targeted for the beginning of 2024.

On Friday, the European Space Agency (ESA) shared its latest update on the heavy-lift launch vehicle. The rocket is currently undergoing flight qualification tests and will be transported to its launch site in French Guinea in November where it will be assembled.

During an earnings call on Wednesday, an executive from German aerospace company OHB, an Ariane 6 supplier, predicted that the rocket’s inaugural flight will likely take place within the first few months of next year, SpaceNews reported.

The 197-foot-tall (60-meter) rocket is designed to lift 10 metric tons to LEO, 4.5 tons to Sun synchronous orbital (SSO) altitudes reaching 500 miles (800 km), and upwards of 10.5 tons to geostationary transfer orbits (GEO).

Ariane 6 is meant to replace its predecessor, Ariane 5, which is no longer in production. Ariane 5 is scheduled for four more launches this year before officially retiring, leaving Europe with little to no options for getting its satellites to orbit.

Arianespace is developing the rocket on behalf of ESA, and the space agency really needs to see this new rocket fly. Europe has been scrambling to find rockets after it cut ties with Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, even turning towards U.S. companies like SpaceX for use of its Falcon 9 rocket.

Even before its first liftoff, the highly anticipated rocket already has a full launch schedule ahead until 2029. Earlier this year, Amazon booked the Ariane 6 rocket for 18 launches for its Project Kuiper internet satellites. Ariane 6 is also expected to deliver ESA’s Galileo global navigation satellite system through multiple launches, the Meteosat weather satellites, the Earth Return Orbiter for the Mars sample-return mission, and the upcoming PLATO space telescope, among others.

The pressure is on for these two large rockets to finally soar through Earth’s atmosphere after a series of unfortunate delays.

For more spaceflight in your life, follow us on Twitter and bookmark Gizmodo’s dedicated Spaceflight page.

The AWS MSP Partner Program recognizes and validates leading APN Consulting Partners highly skilled at providing full lifecycle solutions to customers.

LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Mission Cloud, a cloud-managed services provider and Amazon Web Services (AWS) Premier Tier Services Partner, successfully renewed its status in the robust Amazon Web Services (AWS) Managed Service Provider (MSP) Partner Program.

The AWS MSP Partner Program recognizes and validates leading APN Consulting Partners highly skilled at providing full lifecycle solutions to customers. Next-generation AWS MSPs can help enterprises invent tomorrow, solve business problems, and support initiatives by driving key outcomes. AWS MSPs provide the expertise, guidance, and services to help you through each stage of the Cloud Adoption Journey: Plan & Design > Build & Migrate > Run & Operate > Optimize.

The AWS MSP Program validation process consists of a rigorous multi-day onsite audit performed by an independent, third-party auditor and aims to confirm the partner's ability to provide next-generation managed services and capabilities in cloud architecture, automation, optimization, and management to their client's AWS environments. The use of a third-party validation audit brings value to participating APN Partners and AWS customers, who can confidently identify qualified AWS MSP Partners. Successfully completing the audit ensures AWS MSP Partners are experts on all AWS products and features, and that their business processes are best of breed, ensuring they are capable of delivering the high-level of customer focus Amazon is known for.

"Mission Cloud is honored to renew its AWS MSP designation," said Caleb Mills, Chief Operating Officer, Mission Cloud. "As companies continue to migrate to AWS cloud, we take great pride in being able to offer them the security, convenience, and expertise they need along any step in their cloud journey."

Story continues

By migrating to and building on Amazon Web Services (AWS), companies around the world are re-defining what's possible. The explosive growth of technology solutions available from AWS and AWS Partner Network (APN) Partners, combined with the need for faster and more agile solution development, raises many questions for companies seeking to modernize their business. The AWS MSP Partner Program was created to help customers identify validated APN Consulting Partners skilled at cloud infrastructure and application migration, and deliver value to customers by offering proactive monitoring, automation, and management of their customer's environments.

AWS MSP Partners are fundamental to helping customers take advantage of the AWS Cloud.

Mission Cloud is the fastest-growing AWS provider aimed at helping enterprises throughout their cloud journey. The company's Mission Control platform is a first of its kind that lives at the intersection of cloud management platforms, work management platforms and cloud-managed services specifically for AWS. The platform provides users with visibility of their cloud environment with real-time access to AWS experts.

Mission Cloud also offers Mission Cloud One, a comprehensive managed service for enterprises' entire AWS cloud environment in which its team of AWS-certified experts continuously monitor, maintain, optimize, and help secure the AWS environment.

To learn more please visit https://www.missioncloud.com.

About Mission Cloud
Mission empowers businesses to invent a greater future in the cloud by leveraging the leading cloud platform. Our dedicated team of cloud experts matches businesses with the personalized services and software they need to migrate, manage, modernize, and optimize their cloud environments with confidence.

Media Contact

Ashley Justiniano, MWW, 6464818485, ajustiniano@mww.com

SOURCE Mission Cloud

• Amazon is reportedly in talks with wireless carriers about offering low-cost or free nationwide mobile phone service to its Prime members, causing share prices of major telecom companies to fluctuate.
• The most likely partner for Amazon would be Verizon.
• This would be due to its overall size and the fact that its weaker position would make it more likely to push for low-margin wholesale revenue over no revenue.
• However, both Amazon and T-Mobile have stated that no such deal is imminent, and the probability of a deal materializing is considered low.

Read the full article on Seeking Alpha

Labor unions pushing to organize Starbucks employees this week filed yet another complaint accusing the company of union-busting practices, saying the coffee giant’s membership in the United Nations Global Compact is “self-serving” and does not reflect what’s truly happening.

One of the 10 principles of the U.N. Global Compact, a voluntary initiative that encourages corporate sustainability and which Starbucks has been a member of since 2004, is that businesses should uphold workers’ rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t the future; it’s here. It now serves as a crucial part of the operations of many enterprises, helping them keep up with the ever-changing digital infrastructure. Similarly, AI-focused federal solutions help the government in improving the national services related to security, defense, healthcare, education, and other sectors.

What is artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence is the capability of advanced computer systems to perform tasks usually done by humans. AI uses a combination of machine learning, language processing, and speech and vision recognition to simulate human intelligence, emotions, the ability to reason, and past experiences. Using AI improves productivity and increases efficiency in company operations.

To address the ever-increasing need for advanced AI technology services in commercial and federal markets, here are the top artificial intelligence executives in 2023.

1. Vincent Bridgeman, Senior Vice President of National Security Services at Redhorse Corporation

Photo from Redhorse Corporation Official Website

Vincent Bridgeman is the Senior Vice President of National Security at Redhorse Corporation. He was promoted to the position on February 18, 2023, after serving as the Vice President for nine years and Vice President of Intelligence Services for six years.

For over two decades, Bridgeman served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and represented the Department of Defense in the In-Q-Tel. For a brief period, he also served as an associate at Booz Allen Hamilton before joining Redhorse Corporation.

Bridgeman has built a portfolio in intelligence, tactical, operational, and strategic functions throughout his tenure. His military and commercial intelligence expertise has earned him recognition as an innovative thinker for U.S. intelligence and technology programs.

Redhorse Corporation’s Senior Vice President of National Security Services Roles and Responsibilities

Redhorse Corporation’s Senior Vice President of National Security Services handles the company’s information technology services and contracting activities for the government’s national security priorities. Bridgeman is integral in shaping the company’s artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital transformation capabilities.

About Redhorse Corporation

Redhorse Corporation is a management consulting services company for technology and digital solutions. Established in 2008, the company has received multiple awards for its broad scope of services related to the federal government’s civilian, defense, intelligence, homeland security, and other functions.

2. Ro Dhanda, Vice President of Public Sector at H2O.ai

Photo of Ro Dhanda at LinkedIn

As the Vice President of Public Sector at H2O.ai, Ro Dhanda handles the company’s artificial intelligence, machine learning capabilities, and other technology platforms for the federal government. He has served in the position since February 2021.

Previously, Dhanda held increasing responsibilities for technology organizations such as Information Access, NCompass Labs, and Microsoft. His career as an executive began at Iron Mountain, where he served as the Vice President of Business Development. He then became one of the artificial intelligence executives in Daon, Dell, and Snowflake Computing.

Building his experiences in the technology sector, Dhanda is considered an industry leader in the IT and services industries. He is one of the pioneers of open-source data science and machine learning, making him a distinguished professional in Silicon Valley.

H2O.ai’s Vice President of Public Sector Roles and Responsibilities

H2O.ai’s Vice President of Public Sector is responsible for democratizing AI solutions for citizens and residents of the United States. Dhanda leads the software development of hybrid cloud platforms, strategic partnership management, and other technical functions to solve complex problems and operations in public functions of society. 

About H2O.ai

H2O.ai is an artificial intelligence software solutions provider based in Mountain View, California. The company is on a mission to democratize AI for everyone, enabling them to accelerate the discovery of new ideas. Partnering with over 20,000 global organizations, H2O.ai is a trusted company for the biggest corporations worldwide.

3. William Sullivan, Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Federal at Denodo

Photo of William Sullivan at LinkedIn

William Sullivan is the Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Federal at Denodo. As the leader in data virtualization and data fabric technology, he is responsible for driving 83% growth year-over-year by the end of the third quarter of the federal market.

Sullivan has been among the top artificial intelligence executives, building his leadership portfolio since 2002. After his sabbatical from 2019 to 2020,  he rejoined the federal government contracting industry as the Principal at Quinn Consulting.

As a key AI executive in federal contracting activities, Sullivan advocates for the widespread adoption of AI applications and innovation of systems to overcome architectural and security limitations for hybrid clouds and multi-clouds.

Denodo’s Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Federal Roles and Responsibilities

Denodo’s Vice President and General Manager of U.S. Federal manages the multi-cloud development of systems and applications for the federal government. Sullivan is also responsible for the company’s marketing, sales, and contractual relationships with the federal, local, and state governments.

About Denodo

Denodo is an award-winning data management enterprise. The company’s advanced systems for data integration, management, hybrid/multi-cloud integration, and other artificial intelligence platforms offer 400% ROI and millions of dollars in benefits for its customers across large enterprises and mid-market companies.

4. Dan Wilbricht, General Manager of Public Sector at Devo Technology

Photo of Dan Wilbricht at LinkedIn

Dan Wilbricht has served as the General Manager of Public Sector at Devo Technology since August 2021. He builds processes, systems, and data management and heads the company’s development for cybersecurity and AI solutions for the federal government.

During his early career, Wilbricht handled sales and business development for various companies before engaging in the federal systems of tech giants such as Dell Software Group, Red Hat, and HP. In addition, he has served in several executive leadership roles and has been an advisor for technology companies and organizations.

Wilbricht’s addition to Devo Technology’s executive team has seen a significant performance leap from a decent-sized enterprise to a unicorn company. Within months of his appointment, he helped the company receive multiple investments and funding. 

Devo Technology’s General Manager of Public Sector Roles and Responsibilities

Since joining as the General Manager of Public Sector at Devo Technology, Dan Wilbricht has set up a channel and federal system instigator-focused teams to handle GSA schedules and other government contracts. His core contributions include increasing the company’s valuation from $800 million to $2.5 billion.

About Devo Technology

Devo Technology is a cloud-native security analytics platform based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company is an expert in secure data management, ensuring its clients and partners of cybersecurity and digital protection. Devo Technology is backed by Insight Partners, Georgian, and Bessemer Venture Partners. 

5. Walter Maikish, Vice President of Pure Federal at Pure Storage

Photo of Walter Maikish at LinkedIn

Walter Maikish serves as the Vice President of Pure Federal at Pure Storage. He works closely with federal departments and agencies to deliver data-driven management solutions that can help the government build a better world with data.

Previously, Maikish served as the Business Analyst of Financial Services Sector East at IBM and increasing responsibilities at Cisco, ultimately serving as the Operations Director of Federal Civilian. In his tenure, he has built experiences in a broad scope of federal affairs, including entitlement, scientific, legal, and veteran affairs.

Since joining Pure Storage in August 2021, Maikish has led the company’s business engagement efforts with the federal government. He has helped multiple government agencies to realize their digital transformation goals for society.

Pure Storage’s Vice President of Pure Federal Roles and Responsibilities

As the Vice President of Pure Federal at Pure Storage, Walter Maikish manages the company’s business engagements with the federal government. Under his leadership, his team delivers data-enabled solutions for mission-critical, modern analytics, and multi-cloud environments.

About Pure Storage

Pure Storage is a developer of all-flash data storage hardware and software products. Based in Mountain View, California, the company offers secure data solutions to enable SaaS companies, cloud service providers, and the public sector, among other industries.

6. Anthony Robbins, Vice President of Federal at NVIDIA

Photo from NVIDIA Official Website

Anthony Robbins is the Vice President of Federal at NVIDIA. He has served in the top artificial intelligence executive position since October 2017, running, building, and leading the company’s digital, cloud, and AI solutions for federal markets.

Robbins has been a renowned executive in the technology sector for nearly three decades. He has served in tech giants, including Silicon Graphics, Sun Microsystems, Oracle Corporation, Brocade, AT&T, and AFCEA DC. His career focuses on meeting the needs and requirements of the government for class-leading digital solutions.

As a key executive at NVIDIA, Robbins played a crucial role in delivering more than $15 billion in revenue. His leadership has provided digital IT and artificial intelligence solutions for the government’s warfighters and citizens.

NVIDIA’s Vice President of Federal Roles and Responsibilities

NVIDIA’s Vice President of Federal is responsible for helping the federal government with GPU and CUDA programming models. Robbins works closely with government agencies, cloud service providers, federal systems integrators, universities, and start-up communities to usher in a new era of artificial intelligence.

About NVIDIA

NVIDIA Corporation is an artificial intelligence software pioneer for transforming the largest industries in the world. Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, the company is best known for producing graphics processing units (GPUs), application programming interfaces (APIs, and system-on-a-chip units (SoCs) for mobile devices, computers, and vehicles.

7. Cedric George, Director of DoD Strategic and Mission Acceleration Team at Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Photo from U.S. Air Force Official Website

Cedric George is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force with nearly three decades of experience in various agency divisions. Currently, he is the Director of the Department of Defense’s Strategic and Mission Acceleration Team at Amazon Web Services.

George was with the Armed Forces for three decades, assuming increasing responsibilities in different squadrons, operations, and directorates. He served as the  Director of Logistics for over a year before retirement in 2019. After serving in the military, he served as the Chief Executive Officer at George Consulting Group, LLC.

Since joining AWS in May 2020, George’s position has been crucial to AWS’ activities with the Department of Defense and other defense-related agencies of the U.S. government. In 2021, he showcased his expertise during the U.S. Air Force’s On-Ramp 4 technical demonstration, which experiments on cloud capabilities for faster and more effective mission capabilities in the field.

Amazon Web Services’ Director of DoD Strategic and Mission Acceleration Team Roles and Responsibilities

Amazon Web Services’ Director of DoD Strategic and Mission Acceleration Team handles the cloud computing capabilities of the company for the government’s defense communities. George develops strategies using AI technologies to achieve better mission outcomes and enhance experiences by military personnel.

About Amazon Web Services

Amazon Web Services is a cloud computing platform offering over 200 fully featured services for millions of customers worldwide. The company boasts lower costs and more agile on-demand cloud computing software to fit the needs of fast-growing start-ups, large enterprises, and federal government agencies.

8. Dr. Tamara L. Nall, Founder & Chief Executive Officer at The Leading Niche

Photo of Dr. Tamara L. Nall at LinkedIn

As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Leading Niche, Dr. Tamara L. Nall leads an award-winning company providing cutting-edge artificial intelligence, internally labeled as ‘actionable intelligence,’ for commercial, defense, and civilian sectors.

Dr. Nall is one of the pioneers of data analytics and artificial intelligence, engaging in the industry since 1992. Her previous experiences include serving as the International Business Analyst at Georgia-Pacific Resins, Inc., Independent Consultant at Hilton International, and Senior Associate at Booz & Company. 

With decades of experience in the industry, Dr. Nall has received numerous awards for her contributions to the digital and cybersecurity sectors. Her leadership and expertise have grown the start-up company into one of the top artificial intelligence consulting businesses for a broad scope of government markets.

The Leading Niche’s Chief Executive Officer Roles and Responsibilities

The Leading Niche’s Chief Executive Officer helps companies remain competitive and sustainable in the ever-changing marketplaces for different industries. Since founding the company in 2007, Dr. Nall has built a comprehensive portfolio for big data, cybersecurity, intelligence, C4ISR, regulatory compliance, examination consulting, and more. 

About The Leading Niche

The Leading Niche is a New York City-based business consulting and services firm recognized for using data and cutting-edge ‘actionable intelligence.’ The company supports the commercial and government sectors across domestic and international markets, spanning North America, Europe, and Africa.

9. Kristen Summers, Operating Unit Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft Federal

Photo of Kristen Summers at LinkedIn

Kristen Summers has served as the Operating Unit Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft Federal since January 2022. Working in the federal sector of one of the biggest tech companies in the world, she handles the enterprise’s technology and artificial intelligence businesses for the United States government.

Before joining Microsoft Federal, Summers worked as the Research Engineer at Thomson Corporation and Technical Director at CACI. She also held increasing responsibilities at IBM for over seven years. She ultimately served as the Distinguished Engineer with responsibilities of Artificial Intelligence Chief Technology Officer for Data and AI Expert Labs and Learning.

Having over two decades of tenure, Summers has accomplished multiple credentials and certifications, such as Professional Certification: Level 3 – Distinguished Data Scientist from The Open Group, Data Science Profession Certification – Level 3 Thought Leader, and IBM Consulting Profession Certification – Thought Leader from IBM.

Microsoft Federal’s Operating Unit Chief Technology Officer Roles and Responsibilities

As Microsoft Federal’s Operating Unit Chief Technology Officer, Kristen Summers creates artificial intelligence solutions to enable the federal government to maximize its data. Leading the operating unit’s technology services, she combines AI and analytics with state-of-the-art tools to understand and solve complex situations in the government.

About Microsoft Federal

Microsoft Federal handles the public sector solutions of the Redmond-based technology corporation. The company offers mission comprehension, engineering, and technology services to the U.S. government and its operations abroad. Some agencies with which the company collaborates include the U.S. Postal Service, the U.S. Navy, and the Choctaw Nation. 

10. Margaret Graves, Senior Fellow at IBM Center for the Business of Government

Photo from IBM Center for the Business of Government Official Website

Joining IBM Center for the Business of Government as the Senior Fellow in July 2021, Margaret Graves focuses on creating technical solutions for problems in federal markets. She has over three decades of experience in the technology sector, working closely to offer customized services to government agencies.

Before coming to IBM Center for the Business of Government, Graves was the Federal Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Executive Office of the President for nearly four years. She was responsible for driving value in the federal IT sector, delivering growth for digital services, and developing next-generation IT workforces.

Graves completed various certifications, including AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner from Amazon Web Services and IBM Garage Essentials from IBM. Combined with her experience during her tenure, she’s now one of the top artificial intelligence executives and digital transformation strategists for the federal government. 

IBM Center for the Business of Government’s Senior Fellow Roles and Responsibilities

Handling the digital business of IBM Center for the Business of Government, Margie Gravesis serves as the Senior Fellow and Partner of Digital Modernization Strategy. She improves the government’s delivery of results and technology services to the public. She also leads the development, execution, and oversight teams for technology policy for the government.

About IBM Center for the Business of Government

IBM Center for the Business of Government is committed to research and discussion to Improve federal, state, and local governments through technology, artificial intelligence, and more. The company innovates new ways and ideas to Improve public management and mission priorities.

The most affordable Kindle gets a better screen and more storage
I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and a THX-certified home theater professional, and I’m here to help you understand 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even 8K (and to reassure you that you don’t need to worry about 8K at all for at least a few more years).
The 2022 Amazon Kindle has a screen as sharp as the Paperwhite, along with more storage and longer battery life than its predecessor.
The Kindle is Amazon’s most affordable ebook reader, and the 2022 model is a strong upgrade over the 2019 version thanks to its much sharper screen, additional storage, and longer battery life. Starting at $99.99, the standard Kindle is $40 less than the Paperwhite, and this latest refresh brings the two closer to parity than ever. Ultimately, the Paperwhite remains our top recommendation and Editors’ Choice winner, but the base Kindle is a good alternative if you don’t need the Paperwhite’s waterproof build or adjustable color temperature for its front light.
Before we get into the Kindle itself, let’s talk about pricing. The $99.99 price here is for the Kindle with ads on its lock screen. If you don’t want ads, you need to pay an extra $20. The $139.99 Kindle Paperwhite has the same caveat (it costs $159.99 without ads).
Whether you get an ad-free Kindle or a Kindle with ads, the devices are the same and have the same 16GB of storage. This is double the amount of storage of the previous Kindle, and even more than you get on the base model Paperwhite (a 16GB Paperwhite costs an additional $10). For even more storage, Amazon offers the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (which doesn’t come with ads by default) with 32GB for $189.99.
The 2022 Kindle looks and feels almost identical to the previous version, but is just a hair smaller and lighter. It’s a simple, matte plastic slate (available in black or denim blue; no white version like the 2019 Kindle is available) measuring 6.2 by 4.3 by 0.3 inches (HWD) and weighing 5.6 ounces, with a six-inch E Ink screen framed by a raised bezel. This frame, along with the slightly smaller screen, is the most apparent difference between the Kindle and the Kindle Paperwhite; the Paperwhite’s larger 6.8-inch screen is completely flush with the rest of the face, for a more premium look and better resistance against dust and sand. 
The bottom edge of the Kindle holds a USB-C port for charging and connecting to a computer (a USB-A-to-USB-C cable is included), along with a power button, just like the Paperwhite. This is a welcome upgrade from the previous Kindle’s dated and finicky micro USB connector.
The big upgrade here is the E Ink screen. It has a pixel density of 300ppi, almost twice as much as the 2019 Kindle’s 167ppi. That puts it in line with the Kindle Paperwhite in sharpness, though with a larger screen the Paperwhite has more total pixels. 
The Kindle’s screen is front-lit with four LEDs, and doesn’t have any of the customizability of the Paperwhite’s 17-LED, white-temperature-adjustable display. The Kindle offers only one flavor of white with a relatively cool temperature, though you can make it brighter or darker to your preference. I find the warmer white balance range produced by the Paperwhite to be more natural-looking and soothing to the eyes. This is only an issue when the front light is on, though; if you plan to read in a well-lit environment with the front light turned off, the Kindle’s screen looks identical to the Paperwhite’s, and gives the impression of very light gray paper.
The other major difference between the Kindle and the Kindle Paperwhite is waterproofing. The Kindle isn’t waterproof at all, so you shouldn’t read it in the bath, and you should be careful at the beach or by the pool. The Paperwhite is rated IPX8, which means it can be completely submerged in water and still work. Depending on where you like to read, this can be the difference that influences your buying decision.
Amazon says the Kindle can last up to six weeks based on half an hour of studying with wireless connectivity disabled and the light set to 13. This is a nice boost from the previous Kindle’s four weeks under the same conditions, but it still doesn’t match the Paperwhite’s ten weeks.
Ultimately, how long the Kindle will last on a charge will change depending on your front light and wireless settings, as well as how much you read. Regardless, with battery life measured in weeks and the ability to charge the Kindle to full in as little as two hours, you probably don’t need to worry much about battery life no matter which model you get.
The intended experience for the Kindle relies on using the device itself or Amazon’s website to browse, select, and obtain ebooks and audiobooks. This is perfectly fine if you want to stay within Amazon’s ecosystem. If you want to upload your own documents piecemeal, you can do so simply by tracking down the send-to email address of your Kindle in the Content and Devices section of your Amazon account. 
If you have lots of ebooks from public domain sources or Humble Bundles, you can use free third-party software like Calibre(Opens in a new window). The Kindle is compatible with DOC, DOCX, EPUB, unprotected MOBI, PDF, and RTF documents, as well as GIF, JPG, and PNG image files (though they will of course only be shown in monochrome). Calibre can automatically convert different file formats, so it isn’t hard to get any documents you want on your Kindle.
The public library ebook service Overdrive can also send books to your Kindle, though Overdrive doesn’t integrate directly into the Kindle. Your library’s ebook collection needs to be configured to send its borrowed books to your device.
The obvious focus on Amazon content makes the Kindle’s interface a bit busy and unintuitive. Its home screen constantly pitches new things to read that you can get on Amazon, though fortunately, your own library appears at the top. Below that, there are rows of books to browse on Amazon, not organized in any clear way aside from popularity, though there are sections that provide recommendations based on your studying habits, or books that are similar to specific titles you’ve been studying recently.
In the Library section, the default tile view tends to cut off book titles, so I switched to the list view. Even then, it shows your entire library, both on the Amazon cloud and that you transferred to the Kindle itself. Setting filters is simple, and I kept the view set to only show what is on the Kindle, but even then organization is a bit awkward with non-Amazon documents. The Judge Dredd collections I purchased on Humble Bundle and converted to PDF are categorized as “documents” instead of “comics.” Fortunately, you can make manual collections fairly easily and have them stay at the top of your library list, so it isn’t too hard to get your books arranged the way you like.
If you want to make your studying more social, Goodreads integrates directly into the Kindle. You can add books from your Amazon library, set up shelves, and follow friends. You can only automatically add ebooks or books purchased physically on Amazon, though. If you want to add any non-Amazon books, including third-party books you put on the Kindle, you need to search for them in Goodreads and add them manually.
The studying experience on the 2022 Kindle is unchanged from previous models. The touch-sensitive E Ink screen lets you flip forward and backward by tapping the left or right side of the screen or dragging from right to left or left to right. Tap the top of the screen for a navigation menu, and drag down from the top of the screen for a settings menu. 
For text, you can choose from 10 different fonts in 14 different sizes; set margins, line spacing, and orientation; and save your preferred setups as themes. Comics and books with graphics will show images full-screen or inline, depending on the context.
You can also pair the Kindle with Bluetooth headphones to listen to Audible audiobooks through it, or have the Kindle read text to you with Amazon’s VoiceView voice-to-text reader.
The much sharper screen is the new Kindle’s biggest advantage over the previous model. At 300ppi, it’s as sharp as the Paperwhite, and that means small text is much easier to see. The relatively low pixel density of the 2019 Kindle was one of our main complaints, and it’s good to see it has been addressed.
I read some books on the Kindle, both public domain mysteries like The Case Files of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and Amazon-purchased books like Matthew Meyer’s The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons: A Field Guide to Japanese Yokai. The text is crisp at all sizes, and the screen is easy to read under all lighting. I found the front light a bit harsher than the warm light on my Paperwhite, but it still provides a good studying experience.
I also read some Judge Dredd: The Complete Case Files comic trade paperbacks I purchased from Humble Bundle, converted to PDF, and uploaded through Calibre. I was pleasantly surprised to see the text-dense comic is quite readable on the six-inch screen. It isn’t quite as easy to read as it is on the slightly larger Kindle Paperwhite’s 6.8-inch screen, and considering the original format of the comic, an even bigger ebook reader like the Kindle Oasis (8-inch) or Kindle Scribe (10-inch) would be best for this sort of content. Still, it’s actually legible on the new Kindle, whereas the same comics on the previous model had text that was too small and blurry to make out.
The 2022 Amazon Kindle is a solid ebook reader that improves upon its predecessor’s weaknesses, with a significantly sharper screen, more storage, and longer battery life. If you’re simply looking for a high-quality ebook reader under $100, the Kindle is easy to recommend. That said, if you’re willing to spend an additional $40, the Kindle Paperwhite is our Editors’ Choice thanks to its bigger screen, adjustable front light color temperature, and waterproof design.
The 2022 Amazon Kindle has a screen as sharp as the Paperwhite, along with more storage and longer battery life than its predecessor.
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I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and a THX-certified home theater professional, and I’m here to help you understand 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even 8K (and to reassure you that you don’t need to worry about 8K at all for at least a few more years).
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More functionality than any other media streamer
I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and a THX-certified home theater professional, and I’m here to help you understand 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even 8K (and to reassure you that you don’t need to worry about 8K at all for at least a few more years).
The Amazon Fire TV Cube remains one of the most capable media streamers on the market thanks to its hands-free Alexa voice control, and the third-generation model adds Wi-Fi 6E and HDMI pass-through.
The $139.99 Amazon Fire TV Cube is unique among media streamers thanks to its hands-free voice control. Most media hubs include some form of voice assistant or search, but the Fire TV Cube is the only one to let you use that assistant without requiring a remote. The third-generation, 2022 model of the Fire TV Cube looks a bit different and has a few internal upgrades, but ultimately delivers the same hands-free media hub experience we’ve come to expect. The only real complaint we have is that it’s nearly three times the cost of the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K ($49.99) and the Chromecast With Google TV 4K ($49.99). But considering its unique hands-free functionality, the third-gen Fire TV Cube earns our Editors’ Choice for high-end media streamers.
While it’s still a cube, the 2022 Fire TV Cube looks markedly more like a spherical Amazon Echo speaker than before. Amazon replaces the glossy black plastic sides of the outgoing model with grille fabric similar to the kind found on its Echo speakers. The fabric softens the 3.0-by-3.4-by-3.4-inch (HWD) cube’s sharp right angles and lends it a friendlier look.
The top of the cube is still covered by a matte black plastic panel that hosts four pinholes for the far-field microphone array and a set of four buttons including action, mic mute, and volume up and down. A light runs along the edge of the panel, glowing blue when Alexa is listening and pointing in the direction from which it detects your voice.
The back of the Fire TV Cube has a surprising addition. The standard power adapter port, HDMI output, USB port, Ethernet port, and 3.5mm jack (for the optional $14.99 infrared IR extender) are there—and they’re joined by an HDMI input. This input lets you connect another device, like a game console or a set-top box, to your TV through the Fire TV Cube. The Cube then provides an Alexa overlay on top of whatever is connected.
The remote is slightly more complex than those of normal Fire TV Sticks. The glossy, circular navigation pad sits near the top, with Alexa and power buttons and the pinhole microphone above it. Menu and playback buttons sit directly below the pad. Farther down you’ll find the volume rocker and mute button, which are joined by a channel rocker and then TV, settings, and exact content buttons. Finally, dedicated service buttons for Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, and Netflix sit near the bottom.
Internally, the Fire TV Cube features an octa-core processor with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of onboard storage that Amazon says is twice as fast as the Fire TV Stick Max. It outputs video at up to 4K60, and supports high dynamic range (HDR) content in Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and hybrid log gamma (HLG).
Surprisingly, it supports 6GHz Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) in addition to 2.4 and 5GHz 802.11a/b/g/n/ac. Wi-Fi 6E is nice on paper, but as we witnessed with Wi-Fi 6 on the Fire TV Stick Max and the comparatively modest bandwidth needs of 4K HDR video, 6E won’t noticeably Improve the quality of what you watch beyond what a Wi-Fi 5 connection provides. Wi-Fi 6E can potentially Improve cloud gaming performance (like with Amazon Luna), but with Xbox Cloud Gaming not yet available on Fire TV and Stadia shutting down next year, your options beyond Amazon’s own cloud gaming service are limited.
The Cube also has Bluetooth 5.0, which is a bit outdated at this point, to connect headphones, game controllers, and other devices.
The Fire TV Cube uses Amazon’s Fire TV media streaming platform, which is a powerful, feature-filled interface thanks in part to Alexa. While it’s obviously Amazon-centric (Amazon Prime subscribers have access to Prime Video and Music Prime via the home screen), Fire TV also supports Apple TV, Crunchyroll, Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu, Netflix, Paramount+, Twitch, and YouTube. It’s weak with respect to local media streaming, however; it supports Miracast/WiDi but lacks both Apple AirPlay and Google Cast, which are easily found on competing platforms. AirPlay and Cast make it far simpler to stream or manage content playback from your mobile device.
You can pin your favorite six apps to a quick-launch bar in the middle of the home screen. Buttons to the left allow you to see what’s on live TV across a variety of services, including Freevee, Pluto TV, Sling TV, and Tubi. What you watch will also aggregate in the exact row on the home screen and can also be brought up by pressing the Recents button on the remote. Fire TV supports individual user profiles, so different people in your household can enjoy their own favorites and viewing histories.
The HDMI pass-through feature adds some Alexa functionality to content you push from a secondary source through the Fire TV Cube. Information pop-ups will appear, for example, and the TV screen will feature the glowing blue bar across the bottom when Alexa is listening.
The Cube provides full access to Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant, which you can use without the remote. This is the Cube’s biggest advantage over the smaller and cheaper Fire TV Sticks. The far-field microphones let you say, “Alexa,” followed by a command to seek general information or perform specific actions. On the most basic level, this lets you control the Fire TV Cube itself to search for content, open apps, and even navigate on-screen menus. Menu navigation via voice is a bit clunky compared with using buttons, but that’s why a conventional remote is included; content and app control, however, are both easy to manage with Alexa.
All of Alexa’s normal features are available. You can make phone calls to any standard (not toll-free, premium, or emergency service) phone number, speak to any Alexa user through their Alexa device, speak to Alexa users on their phone via the Alexa mobile app, and even talk over Skype. If you have a compatible webcam, you can make video calls through Alexa Drop In and Skype; Zoom support will be added in the future. 
Perhaps the most useful aspect of Alexa on the Fire TV Cube is its ability to control your smart home. Alexa supports all major smart device brands, spanning hundreds of doorbell cameras, security cameras, smart lights, smart locks, smart plugs, and smart thermostats. Some doorbells and cameras, like Amazon’s own Ring products, can even send video feeds directly to the Fire TV Cube when you ask Alexa to do so.
We’ve hardly complained about any Fire TV products when it comes to performance, and the Fire TV Cube is unsurprisingly responsive. Obviously, content loading speeds will depend on your internet connection, but navigating menus, using Alexa, and switching between most apps is snappy. There were a few seconds of waiting when loading Sling TV, but that’s about it.
Video quality is consistently strong. 4K video in both Dolby Vision and HDR10 loaded quickly and reliably across all apps that support it, and both The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Amazon Prime Video and House of the Dragon on HBO Max looked great. It occasionally took up to 10 seconds for the video quality to stabilize at 4K while the apps calculated if the required bandwidth was available, but after that short wait shows looked crisp and accurate.
The third-generation Amazon Fire TV Cube is an impressive media streamer with better connectivity than ever. It’s quick to navigate, includes plenty of features, and is still the only media streamer to offer hands-free voice control. The updated Wi-Fi radio won’t necessarily Improve your viewing experience, but it makes the potential for cloud gaming a bit better. At $139.99, the Fire TV Cube is the most expensive media streamer currently available, costing even more than the newly updated Apple TV 4K ($129). We’d still like to see it support Apple AirPlay or Google Cast (or both), but that’s the only thing really lacking from the platform in general and the Fire TV Cube in particular. With that in mind, the 2022 Fire TV Cube earns our Editors’ Choice for media streamers. If you don’t need hands-free Alexa and want to save a lot of money, though, both the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K and the Chromecast With Google TV 4K are worth exploring.
The Amazon Fire TV Cube remains one of the most capable media streamers on the market thanks to its hands-free Alexa voice control, and the third-generation model adds Wi-Fi 6E and HDMI pass-through.
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I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and a THX-certified home theater professional, and I’m here to help you understand 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even 8K (and to reassure you that you don’t need to worry about 8K at all for at least a few more years).
Read Will’s full bio
Advertisement
PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering lab-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.
PCMag supports Group Black and its mission to increase greater diversity in media voices and media ownerships.
© 1996-2023 Ziff Davis, LLC., a Ziff Davis company. All Rights Reserved.
PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant.

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