Which functions of your computer could you do without?  Many Windows users might reply that they would love to do without internet security software.  Maybe a better way to ask the question is: which functions of your computer could you absolutely not do without?  Most people (using any operating system) would answer that they absolutely could not do without email and web surfing.  These are two “staples” of computer use in the internet age, and any self-respecting operating system has to, at a minimum, get these two tasks right to make it in today’s world.  The latest version of Mac OS X, “Leopard”, contains significant upgrades to its email application, called, fittingly, Mail, and Safari, the Mac’s web browser (see this week’s column for more details on Safari upgrades in Leopard).

Prior to getting the Leopard goodies I’m going detail, Mail was already a top-notch email application.  The new Leopard Mail builds on those strengths, and leverages the system’s graphics and search features to become even more of a joy to use.

First off, upgrading Mail from the previous version in Mac OS X “Tiger” is a snap and presents no problems with email messages, accounts, and attachments already in place.  Leopard Mail makes it even easier to add new accounts (which I had to do on a friend’s new iMac).  My friend had an existing Google Mail account, which can be managed with Mail.  We simply told Mail to make a new Gmail account, entered my friend’s Gmail address and password, and Mail automatically contacted Google and configured all those cryptic server settings for us.  Her Gmail immediately flowed into Mail like lobster butter.  Mail also plays nice with Yahoo! And AOL.  No bib required.

My favorite new feature in Leopard Mail is Stationery.  When an occasion calls for an email message with more style and warmth than just plain text, you can choose from over 30 professionally designed stationery templates.  Five different birthday templates, announcements for Lunch, Dinner, Dinner Parties, Picnics, Formal Invites, Save the Date, Babies, New Addresses, and Moving notices.  Six different photo templates to describe vacations and events (we’ll come back to photos).  Fun templates to spice up any note.  Sentiments like Thank You, Get Well, etc.  It’s like having several boxes of professional stationery in your writing desk.

Back to photos.  Stationery templates designed to include photos contain “placeholders” into which you drag and drop your photos.  You can drop them in from anywhere on your Mac, or open Mail’s integrated Photo Browser window and access all the photos in your Aperture, iPhoto, or PhotoBooth libraries.  Once in place, you can size and move the photo within the placeholder to get it looking just right.

There’s also text areas, preformatted with a font that fits the template style, into which you can type your message.  You can also create personalized templates.  When you click Send, Mail automatically sizes the images and creates a standard HTML-based email that can be read through browser-based email and email programs on both Macs and PCs.

Leopard Mail has another cool feature called “data detection”.  Say someone sends you a plain text invitation to a business meeting.  Mail recognizes the date, and with one simple click you can add the event to your iCal calendar.  Mail even recognizes relative dates, like “next Tuesday” or “tomorrow”.  Say the sender places their business street address, phone number, and email address at the bottom of the message.  With one click you can create a record for them in your Address Book, or open a Google Maps web page and get directions to their place of business.