The first bit of starting code I used for playing with this was: http://mrdoob.github.com/three.js/examples/webgl_materials_shaders.html
The key is adding a specularity map with the specularMap property for the (Phong) Material.
Such can be done as follows:
var MySpecularMap = THREE.ImageUtils.loadTexture( "MySpecularImage.jpg" );
var Color = THREE.ImageUtils.loadTexture( "MyColorImage.jpg" );
var mappedTexture = new THREE.MeshPhongMaterial( { color: 0xffffff, map: Color, specular: 0xffffff, specularMap: MymapSpecular} );
sphere = new THREE.SphereGeometry( 600, 32, 32 );
globe = new THREE.Mesh( sphere, mappedTexture );
scene.add( globe );
Also, for this type of demo OrbitControls seem to be the best.
Here's a finished example with {ColorMap, SpecularMap, BumpMap, Clouds, SkyDome}: http://randompast.github.io/randomtests/three.js/earth/1/index.html