LiveGlobe

The LiveGlobe is a lightweight, wireless, lap-sized, live, spherical model of the world. Its surface is textured appropriately (well, except maybe for the water) and has embedded thermal devices which can be controlled to make specific areas hot or cold. The LiveGlobe has embedded vibrating thingies (vibrators?) and is covered with a high-resolution Organic LED display. It is connected to the internet via a high-speed wireless internet connection, over which it streams a live image of the Earth taken from high-resolution geosynchronous satellites, as well as thermal, seismographic, and other information.

Accompanying the LiveGlobe is the LiveGlass. It looks like a magnifying glass, but instead of glass it has has two high resolution displays back to back. It has a wireless connection to the LiveGlobe over which it transmits the same live image of the Earth. Sensors in its handle detect its position relative to the LiveGlobe, allowing it to adjust the image on the display appropriately to create the illusion of looking "through" the LiveGlass. On the handle of the LiveGlass are controls which allow you to adjust the LiveGlobe and LiveGlass to zoom in (hopefully not big-brother far) and out and toggle various layers of live information, as well as various effects. One can toggle clouds, shadows, nighttime, map information, doppler radar, etc. (again, hopefully not credit cards, internet packets, cellphone location via triangulation, OnStar GPS car location, airline passenger lists, or any other TIA stuff...)