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Bird Buddy Launches World First AI-Powered Smart Hummingbird Feeder and Smart Bird Bath

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Tech for Nature start-up launches new products on Kickstarter with exclusive early bird deals for up to 25 percent off New products use same built-in AI recognition tech and modular camera as their original popular Smart Bird FeederBird Buddy is one of Kickstarter’s best-performing alumni with first campaign in its top 1 percent most funded projects

KALAMAZOO, Mich., May 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Bird Buddy has launched a crowdfunding campaign for the world’s first AI-powered Smart Hummingbird Feeder and Smart Bird Bath following a successful prototype reveal at CES 2023 which took the event by storm. The Tech for Nature start-up has returned to Kickstarter with the new products available for pre-order on the platform at a discounted price from May 16th 2023 until June 16th, 2023. The products have been developed in response to demand from the Bird Buddy community, who share a deep love and affection for hummingbirds, and the need for a bird bath to complement their original Smart Bird Feeder. Early backers can enjoy up to 25 percent off as well as exclusive bundles in helping to meet a target $100,000 raise.

Bird Buddy’s Smart Hummingbird Feeder is designed to provide up close and personal views of our tiniest, beloved feathered friends like never before. It recognizes all common hummingbird species in North America, and captures exceptional photos and videos of these quick-moving wonders. In addition to hummingbirds, these feeders may also attract bees and butterflies, ever-increasing the biodiversity of any backyard. The feeder comes with or without a solar roof, using the same Bird Buddy camera module with 5 megapixels and HD video, a 120° field of view and built-in microphone which allows existing users the option to swap their camera between feeders. Since revealing the prototype in January this year, clamor for the feeder has been unprecedented, with content from the test feeders exciting many hummingbird fans.

Commenting on the new products, Dejan Bjordan, Bird Buddy’s in-house Ornithologist said:

“Hummingbirds elicit such affection in bird enthusiasts; their beautiful flash colors, rapid wing action and hovering tendencies means it’s really challenging to obtain high quality images, let alone identify their species. Our smart feeder has been specifically designed so that you can enjoy these delights from the ease of your smartphone or tablet wherever you are, much the same as our original feeder.”

“Our Smart Bird Bath offers a fun new way to capture new photos and videos of your favorite avian friends.  In the warm months of summer when temperatures rise, bird baths call to a wide variety of birds, from raptors to seed-eating birds so it’s a neat way to invite more species of native birds to your backyard. If every household created a diverse, thriving ecosystem in their backyard, the collective impact would be tremendous.”

As a crowd-sourced business with over 100,000 Smart Bird Feeder units now shipped worldwide, the Bird Buddy community is at the heart of the team’s new product development – both as a gadget and an app. Through the community, Bird Buddy has also created its citizen science platform, Bird Buddy’s Heartbeat, which provides real time sightings across its network with open source datasets available for scientists to use.

Speaking about the importance of the community, Franci Zidar, CEO, Bird Buddy said:

“Thousands of Bird Buddy Smart Bird Feeder owners as well as bird lovers around the world have helped us design these new products. We’ve had dozens of beta testers from our community who have put our prototypes to the ultimate test in their backyards, giving us real-time feedback and suggestions. Our community has also played a key role in shaping our app development, with the new Birdbuddy TV being a particular big hit. Having been so deeply supported by our customers and Kickstarter’s leaders, it is only natural that we have returned to the community-based platform to launch our new products. We could not be more excited about offering more people even greater chances to reconnect with nature, in their own backyards and beyond.”

Heather Swift Hunt, Head of Design & Tech, Kickstarter said:

“Bird Buddy saw tremendous support for their last project from a passionate community on Kickstarter: 22,925 bird lovers backed nearly $4.6 million on our platform alone to help bring it to life, making it one of the biggest projects of 2021. While that number was impressive, even more impressive was seeing them ship and deliver all those products to excited backers, and seeing those backers share their images, stories and enthusiasm with each other and the world. Bird Buddy is the best of what Kickstarter is all about.”

The new Kickstarter is now live and people can visit this page to participate and secure their choice in products and be a part of the flock. 

The Kickstarter media kit is here.

Bird Buddy data

Number of current active feeders: 65,000We have active feeders in 113 countriesTotal number of photos and videos taken: 100 Million+

Total number of species identified to date: 472 (recognized by AI or manual review)Total number (ave) of photos / videos captured per day: ~837k per day
            – Photos: 674k per day
            – Video: 163K per dayBird Buddy Live Heartbeat: https://live.mybirdbuddy.com/.
            Context: https://blog.mybirdbuddy.com/post/bird-buddy-visits-live

Smart Hummingbird Feeder product specs

Hummingbird Feeder HousingOptional solar roof add-on to decrease charging needOptimal 12-ounce nectar containerBird Buddy camera module with 5 megapixels and HD video, a 120° field of view and built-in microphoneStainless steel hanging wireUSB-C charging cableTwo cleaning brushes (for reservoir and ports)Designed for easy camera transferSecure camera-mounting magnetsEasy disassembly and cleaningThe feeder is made of ASA, an outdoor rated, ultra-durable and recyclable plastic.The feeder housing is Made in the USA, along with the final assembly of the unit.Height – 8.5in. | 215mmWidth – 5.75 in. | 145mmDepth – 6.5 in. | 165mmWeight – ~2lbs.

*The camera module is interchangeable with any Bird Buddy housing.

Smart Bird Bath product specs

Bird Bath HousingBird Buddy camera module with 5 megapixels and HD video, a 120° field of view and built-in microphoneUSB-C Charging cableUniversal Mount and screwsShort pole mount for the lawnOptional add-on solar panel with solar-powered water fountainThe feeder is made of ASA, an outdoor rated, ultra-durable and recyclable plastic.14-inches in diameter

Bird Buddy awards

CES 2022 honoree x 3SXSW Innovation Award for AI 2023Best of Kickstarter AwardIDEA Silver Award 2022Spoga + Gafa Gardena Pitch Award 2022

About Bird Buddy
Bird Buddy created and developed the world’s first smart AI-powered bird feeder that instantly snaps and recognizes the species feeding at the unit. This has rejuvenated a traditional and popular hobby of bird watching and enables daily bite-sized connections with nature any time, anywhere. It notifies users whenever a bird stops by, sending one of those rare notifications that will bring them joy instead of stress.

The built-in technology allows users to capture beautiful photos and video clips of their featherly visitors and the Bird Buddy app gamifies the experience by recognizing birds and organizing them in a “Pokémon GO like” collection.

Users regularly share their images on the Bird Buddy social wall: https://social.mybirdbuddy.com. Furthermore, opted in community members provide real time reports of sightings through the Bird Buddy Heartbeat platform creating open source citizen science datasets: https://live.mybirdbuddy.com

Bird Buddy has three co-founders: Ziga Vrtacic, Franci Zidar and Kyle Buzzard.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bird-buddy-launches-world-first-ai-powered-smart-hummingbird-feeder-and-smart-bird-bath-301826033.html

SOURCE Bird Buddy

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Amwell Receives Frost & Sullivan’s 2026 United States Technology Innovation Leadership Recognition for Technology-Enabled Care Platforms

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Amwell® is transforming virtual care delivery through its unified Amwell Platform, combining interoperability, clinical integration, and intelligent orchestration to improve access, efficiency, and outcomes.

SAN ANTONIO, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — As healthcare organizations move beyond fragmented telehealth solutions toward connected virtual care models, Amwell is helping redefine how digital care is delivered at scale. Frost & Sullivan is pleased to recognize Amwell with the 2026 United States Technology Innovation Leadership Recognition in the Technology-Enabled Care Platforms industry for its ability to address healthcare fragmentation through a unified platform that connects patients, health plan members, clinicians, and partner ecosystems across the care continuum.

Frost & Sullivan evaluates companies through a rigorous benchmarking process across two core dimensions: strategy effectiveness and strategy execution. Amwell excelled in both, demonstrating its ability to align strategic initiatives with evolving healthcare needs while executing with flexibility, scalability, and measurable customer impact. “The combination of reliability, flexibility, and clinically integrated workflows positions the Amwell Platform as a strategic enabler for organizations seeking to reduce fragmentation, improve member engagement with covered programs, expand access to care, and create more connected healthcare experiences,” said Sagar Mukhekar, Industry Analyst, Frost & Sullivan.

Guided by a strategy centered on connected care, interoperability, and continuous, digital innovation, Amwell has positioned the Amwell Platform as an operating layer for next-generation healthcare delivery. Rather than relying on disconnected point solutions, the platform integrates technology, services, and clinical intelligence to orchestrate personalized care experiences across virtual primary care, urgent care, behavioral health, chronic condition management, and specialized digital programs.

Backed by 20 years of technology-enabled care innovation, more than 90 million covered lives, and over 38.7 million virtual visits, Amwell continues to help health plans and healthcare organizations modernize digital care delivery at scale.

“As healthcare becomes more digital, it risks becoming more fragmented. Health plans need more than point solutions. They need enterprise infrastructure, clinical integration, and an open platform that brings partners and programs together. Our vision at Amwell is that technology creates value when it improves access, engagement, quality, and efficiency, and produces measurable clinical and business outcomes. We’re honored by this recognition from Frost & Sullivan,” said Dan Zamansky, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Amwell.

Amwell’s enterprise scale includes supporting the digital transformation of the Defense Health Agency’s Military Health System, serving approximately 9.6 million beneficiaries. The company’s commitment to measurable outcomes is also reflected in a landmark National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded study, published in Nature Human Behaviour and among the largest studies of its kind. The study found that students offered SilverCloud® by Amwell® engaged in mental healthcare at more than double the rate of traditional care, experienced lower rates of mental health disorders, and generated an estimated $1.18 million in avoided costs for the study population.

The company further differentiates its platform through intelligent orchestration and navigation, helping guide members to appropriate programs while giving clinicians visibility across care plans. Amwell also evaluates integrated third-party programs for clinical effectiveness, scalability, and enterprise readiness.

Frost & Sullivan commends Amwell for setting a high standard in competitive strategy, execution, and technological innovation. The company’s unified approach to digital care is helping reduce fragmentation, improve access, strengthen operational efficiency, and support more equitable and sustainable healthcare delivery.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents the Technology Innovation Leadership Recognition to a company that demonstrates outstanding strategy development and implementation, resulting in measurable improvements in market share, customer satisfaction, and competitive positioning. The recognition identifies forward-thinking organizations that are reshaping their industries through innovation and growth excellence.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Recognition

Frost & Sullivan’s Best Practices Recognitions honor companies across regional and global markets that exhibit exceptional achievement and consistent excellence in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer experience, and strategic product development. Each recognition is the result of a rigorous analytical process in which Frost & Sullivan industry experts benchmark performance through comprehensive interviews, deep-dive analysis, and extensive secondary research. The goal is to identify true best-in-class organizations that are driving transformative growth and setting new industry standards.
Contact us: Start the discussion.

Contact:
Ashley Shreve
E: ashley.weinkauf@frost.com 

SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

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MiniTool Released MovieMaker 8.9 with Advanced Keyframe Animation

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VANCOUVER, BC, Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — MiniTool Software Limited has released MiniTool MovieMaker 8.9, a significant update to its video editing software. The latest version focuses on empowering creators with advanced keyframe animation controls, a more streamlined installation experience, and an optimized export button for a smoother experience.

Precise Control with Keyframe Animation

The hallmark of MiniTool MovieMaker 8.9 is the introduction of keyframe animation for video, images, and elements. Users can now set keyframes for position, scale, and rotation at different points. As a result, they can easily generate smooth, cinematic motion effects.

The position parameter supports accurate X- and Y-axis adjustments, allowing flexible horizontal and vertical movement of clips to achieve natural screen scrolling and displacement effects. The scale feature allows for seamless zoom-in and zoom-out transitions, enabling users to zoom in on a clip and highlight key visual elements. Coupled with rotation control, which supports precise angle adjustments, the three tools work together to deliver smooth, dynamic visual effects.

Designed with simplicity and accessibility in mind, this update brings intuitive keyframe animation tools without complex settings. It balances powerful editing capabilities and ease of use, allowing users to easily bring static photos to life and create custom movements for high-quality visual content.

Installation Package Optimization for Faster Setup

MiniTool MovieMaker 8.9 places a strong emphasis on the installation package. In this latest release, the development team has reduced the overall installation package size, enabling a faster, more streamlined download and setup experience. This enhancement not only saves disk space but also improves application launch speeds. As a result, creators can quickly run the software and start working on their projects with minimal delay.

Enhanced Export UI for a Seamless Final Step

The final export stage is crucial to the editing workflow. This time, MiniTool MovieMaker 8.9 brings a new export button with a redesigned interface. This update optimizes the export button and provides intuitive guidance. Therefore, users can quickly locate the button for exporting their projects, whether they are absolute beginners or experienced editors.

About MiniTool MovieMaker

MiniTool MovieMaker is an easy-to-use video editing program designed for beginners, featuring a clean interface and a variety of effects, text templates, stickers, filters, and transitions for quick video creation.

The software offers a flexible multi-track timeline where users can layer and independently manage video tracks and audio tracks to create complex compositions, such as picture-in-picture (PiP) effects and video collages. Users can also place visual elements on different layers and lock tracks to prevent accidental edits.

More importantly, this editing tool can export videos in 1080P or 4K for free and without watermarks, ensuring high-quality, professional-looking results.

About MiniTool® Software Ltd.

MiniTool® Software Ltd. is a software development company specializing in providing software services across multiple fields, including video editing, screen recording, video conversion and compression, video enhancement, as well as disk partition management.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/minitool-released-moviemaker-8-9-with-advanced-keyframe-animation-302869995.html

SOURCE MiniTool® Software Limited

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From Trust to Value: Miles Group Signs Bo Jin and Isaac Lam, Launching into the Athlete Representation Track

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HONG KONG, Sept. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Miles Group, specializing in international sports marketing, announced today the signing of two outstanding professional golfers, Bo Jin and Isaac Lam. This milestone concurrently marks the official launch of the company’s athlete representation business.

Founded in 2012, Miles Group has spent over a decade providing Asian market marketing services for premier global golf brands, including Major Championships, the LPGA Tour, and the United States Golf Association (USGA). In 2026, the group’s domestic arm, Miles Shanghai, launched its proprietary tournament IP—the Junior Charity Classic—which offers top Asian junior golfers a direct pathway to elite junior tournaments in the United States.

“I have always believed that elite athletes are among the rarest and most valuable brand assets, yet their commercial potential remains vastly underestimated. Miles Group is entering the talent representation arena not simply to sign established names, but to leverage our 15 years of international sports marketing expertise. Our mission is to build a dedicated value-amplification system for Asia’s athletes, empowering them to command top-tier commercial influence far beyond the field of play.” said Smile Xu, founder of Miles Group and a top-tier marketing strategist.

“Having known Smile for ten years, I’ve watched her grow from an industry rising star into someone who drives real change. I have absolute faith in her capabilities, but what I admire most is her vision—helping more players use innovative methods to unlock true, long-term value, and even rewrite the rules of the industry,” said 24-year-old Bo Jin, who currently competes on the China Tour. “Entering my second year as a professional, I chose Miles Group because I believe in the future she sees, and it’s a future I want to be part of.”

Bo is the first Chinese player to reach the finals of the U.S. Junior Amateur, a member of the 2019 Junior Presidents Cup International Team, the individual runner-up at the 2021 NCAA D1 Championship, and the runner-up at the 13th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in 2022. Turning professional in 2025, Bo delivered a remarkable rookie year, capturing two runner-up finishes on the China Tour and placing in the top 20 during his DP World Tour debut.

Isaac Lam, 27, hails from Hong Kong, China, and turned professional in 2024. Now an active competitor on the China Tour, he boasts the title of a two-time Tour champion. Following his maiden China Tour victory at the 2025 Wuyishan International Open, Lam lifted his second trophy this past August at the Fanling Golf Classic in front of his home crowds.

“On the course, I am a champion, but in the business world, I am a complete novice. Two China Tour titles didn’t bring the commercial breakthrough I had anticipated,” Lam shared. “Since my amateur days, Smile has always given me unconditional advice. Joining Miles Group now is a choice born from seeing her selfless dedication to young players. She brings both the wisdom to sharpen my direction and the resources and capability to translate a championship title into real commercial value.”

Play Beyond • More than just the game—from amateur to professional, from trust to value! In launching its talent representative agency business, Miles Group is dedicated to systematically developing athletes’ multidimensional commercial value off the course. Moving forward, Miles Group will leverage precise resource matching and long-term strategic planning to create sustainable growth opportunities for players, while introducing high-value sports IPs to partners for mutual empowerment.

About Miles Group

Miles Group is a marketing agency headquartered in Hong Kong that has been deeply rooted in the Asian market for 15 years. With teams across Mainland China, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, India, and Thailand, it focuses on the sports and lifestyle sectors. The group provides one-stop services covering public relations, digital media, content creation, KOL management, and event management for top global clients. Its client portfolio includes industry benchmarks such as USGA, LPGA, LIV Golf, BLAST and more. Since 2025, the group has focused on developing its own tournament IPs and content; its inaugural Junior Charity Classic immediately became an industry market benchmark. 思迈超牛 is the affiliated operating company of Miles Group in Mainland China.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/from-trust-to-value-miles-group-signs-bo-jin-and-isaac-lam-launching-into-the-athlete-representation-track-302870107.html

SOURCE Miles Group

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