Add date/time into iCal, add an email or street address into Address Book, or map a street address in Google Maps–these are a few of the ways data detectors are used in Leopard’s Mail 3.0.
Mail gets a little smarter in OS X 10.5. When you mouse-over an email address, street address, or date/time, Mail will detect this type of data and help you process it correctly.
When you mouse-over one of these areas, the mail program will drop a gray box over the information. Clicking on the arrow will open up a context menu that allows the user to use this information in various ways.
For example, a data/time can be turned into an ical event:
An address can be turned into a contact in Address Book or viewed as a map in Google Maps. Emails can be turned into contacts in a similar fashion.
Phone numbers can be dropped into a contact in Address Book as well.
