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You're at reception in a Tokyo hotel when a bouquet on the counter begins to emit gentle music. Has your green tea been spiked? No, the management has invested in a Ka-on, a device from Nagoya-based telecom equipment maker Let's Corp. (www.lets-co.co.jp) that turns any posy into a loudspeaker. The Ka-on (Japanese for flower sound) consists of a vase into which users insert floral designsthe works are hidden in the base. Hook it up to a CD player, stereo or TV, and the Ka-on relays the sound up the plants' stems. According to the company, gerberas and sunflowers...

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