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SEATTLE - Microsoft hopes Seinfeld will help image

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld will appear in Microsoft Corp.'s next Windows advertising campaign.

Seinfeld is being brought on board to help brighten Microsoft's image as the company tries to move past its bumpy launch of Windows Vista.

A person familiar with the plans confirmed a Wall Street Journal report Thursday that named Seinfeld as the company's new pitchman.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the plans have not been formally announced.

BlackBerry Bold costs $399 with 3-year plan

MONTREAL - Research In Motion has launched its BlackBerry Bold in Canada.

It is only available through Rogers Wireless and costs $399 with a three-year voice and data contract.

Its release comes with much less fanfare, hype and consumer anticipation than the IPhone, which some people lined up overnight to purchase.

RIM says messaging and attachment functions appeal to a business audience, while multimedia functions such as video and music will appeal to consumers.

The BlackBerry Bold features a sleek display, one gigabyte of internal memory, a two-megapixel camera and a way to sync ITunes music.

RIM is also expected to launch yet another model this fall, with a touch screen model called the Thunder.

Food prices expected to remain high in Canada

TORONTO - Canadian consumers are still experiencing pain at the grocery counter despite a softening in grain prices, and it's not expected to lessen anytime soon.

Statistics Canada reported Thursday that food prices jumped by 4.3 per cent in July, led by a 13.2-per-cent hike in the bakery section, as the overall inflation rate rose by 3.4 per cent.

The inflation rate is at its highest level in more than five years.

Rising world prices for grain were the main influence in the rise in prices for bread and other baked goods, Statistics Canada said.

A 28.6 per cent boost in the price of gasoline compared with last year was partially responsible for the higher inflation rate, although the rise between June and July was less steep than other month-to-month increases.

Judge OKs bid for B.C. mill valued at $20M

VANCOUVER - An Edmonton property developer is the new owner of the Mackenzie pulp mill in northern B.C., but the value of the deal remains in question following a controversial ruling Thursday on the mill's chip supply agreement with Canfor Corp.

Worthington Properties Inc. offered to buy the former Pope & Talbot Inc mill, which is currently idled and in receivership, for between $20 million and $6.5 million.

The offer, which is Worthington's first foray into the forestry sector, was for $20 million if it included the Canfor chip supply, and dropped to as low as $6.5 million without it.

A lawyer representing Canfor said after the ruling that the company may appeal the decision.

It has until Sept. 2 to decide.

Sources: The Canadian Press and The Associated Press