There was once a time when owning a desk globe was viewed as a bit of a status symbol but now, it simply means you've fallen behind the times (see Google Maps). A Japanese company by the name of Gakken is looking to bring the one-time desk staple back to relevance with the Worldeye globe - a device that offers a realistic visual experience of the world
The creation is technically only half a globe as the back section houses the projector and other internals necessary to display imagery on the front of the sphere. The cool thing about Worldeye is that it can display up to 48 different images including 16 of earth, 16 of other planets and 16 of stars.
Specifically, it can be set to show things like world altitudes, seismic faults, forestation, bird migration or wind patterns. What's more, you can connect an external device via HDMI and have it display your own videos or virtually anything else you can think of. It's available now through the Japan Trend Shop at a steep price of $653.