Ready for customized come-ons emitted by windows, shelves — even store mannequins? Meet Whispering Windows from S3i, a hockey-puck-size device that turns almost any surface into a virtual speaker, so that mannequin in the window can coo a message about Prada or Manolo Blahnik. One London-based retailer claims a 49-percent jump in store traffic over a three-week period using Whispering Windows.

Paul Trostel of Chip’s restaurant in Ankeny, Iowa, says he’s “very, very happy” with the product. “Instead of big speakers, we applied these units to our plate glass. The sound is as clear out on the patio as it is in the bar.” (800) 327-7291, www.whispering-windows.com
— CHRIS TUCKER