Customer Reviews

Floating Desktop Globe

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Well, never works is a lie. After we let the cardboard calibrator sit on the globe for 15 minutes and removed it (oh so carefully) we got the globe to levitate, for about 2 minutes before quickly snapping back to the top magnet.

It appears that if your house moves whatsoever from people walking or isn't completely level this globe will not work.

And to boot (because they know that they're going to get Tech Support calls) there is no way to phone or e-mail the company for assistance.

At first it was hard to get the globe to hover there but once you mastered it, it was easy from there on.. a great conversation piece!!!

This product was not as difficult to use as some of the reviews said. All you have to do is use the cardboard template to start the globe levitating. My wife even did it without the template on her first try. Overall it is a very interesting peice, guaranteed to elicit questions and comments at the office or from friends.

Purchased this product despite some negative reviews. Was thrilled to find it worked exactly as advertised - BUT power plug MUST be FULLY inserted or forget about it. Good value & great gift. Would purchase again.

I just received this as a birthday present and its great. I spun it 10 minutes ago and its still spinning at its original speed. After a few minutes of reading through the instructions, I balanced the globe in the center and it floated with no problem.

Cool in concept, useless in practice. As far as I can tell, it simply does not work. Wherever the "sweet wspot" to make the globe hover between the two magnets is, I have yet to find it, with the globe predictably clinging to one pole or the other.

Avoid.

I've had this globe since 2002 and have thuroughly enjoyed it. Recently I'd found that the sweet spot became harder to find and eventually would not levitate the globe at all. If you've got a globe with only a sour spot, here's a fix you can try if you're good with a Phillips head screwdriver. If you peel the foam ring off the base you will have access to the screws that hold the bottom cover on. Removing these reveals an electronics board that has a potentiometer (a variable resistor) that tunes the "sweet spot" that you can adjust with your screwdriver. After some trial and error in setting the resistor my globe was back to gravity defying harmony. I was able to play with the potentiometer while the globe was levitating and could span the range of adjustment all the way from dropping the globe to grabbing it from above. See what you can do if yours is not behaving properly.

Why the five stars? Being able to successfully troubleshoot the system was a big reward for me!!! Guess that's how I spin.

I received this as a Christmas/Birthday present (my b-day is the 23rd). It works as advertised, though the sweet spot is closer to the top magnet rather than split evenly between the two (maybe close to 3/4 inch from the top). I suspect many of the reviewers looked at the picture and figured you could just drop the thing between the two and leave it at that (as I did at first). That won't work. The trick is to let it stick to the top magnet, then bring it down gradually (in tiny increments) until it floats. Once you get it, it's really easy to replicate. I've had the thing on my desk at work for the last couple days and it's a nifty gift. I like it a lot.

World does actually suspend -- and remains suspended. Very nice office adornment!
Purchased as a recognition award for a coworker who manages a global group.
Perfect gift!

It works as advertised. Though small compared to what it looks like. They should put some common day items in front of to give sense of scale. Otherwise works fine. Looks very nice.