Brand: MacNews

MacMinute reader Lon Hutchison informed us of ClimatePrediction.com, a new distributed computing effort (similar to SETI@home) that will be used to analyze current and predict future climate trends. Details on the project are currently available, as well as a registration page that asks users what platform they use. Presumably, this information will be used to determine development priority, so Mac users looking to contribute to the greater good (beyond finding aliens or cracking the RC5 project), speak up!

PowerLogix has cut prices on its G3 upgrades by $50 as part of a summer promotion. The PowerForce G3/400 and G3/500 are now available for US$249 and $349, respectively. The G3/500 ZIF is also available for $349.

Microsoft today announced that it would bundle Word and Excel 2001 for US$149 as part of an “SE” package due to ship this July, according to MacCentral. There’s no word on whether customers who purchase the package will be eligible for a discount for the Carbonized version, due this fall. Microsoft has been running a promotion of Office 2001 that offers a $50 rebate as well as half-of the upgrade to the Carbonized version.

MCE has begun shipping its Xcaret Pro Expansion Hard Drive with IBM’s new 5400 RPM 48GB Drive. The expansion bay is available for Bronze (Lombard) and FireWire (Pismo) PowerBook’s for US$799. A different module is available to accommodate the original PowerBook G3 series (Wallstreet) for the same price.

An eWeek TARGET=”_top”>article offers commentary from analysts on Apple’s retail store strategy, including the benefits they present and the struggles they face. According to one analyst, Apple will need to maintain a gross margin of at least 25 percent to profit from the stores. Apple has said it expects margins for the next quarter to come in between 26 and 27 percent, where it typically likes to see margins.