5. The method of claim 4 wherein said operating on said non-text message comprises dialing said at least one text string as a telephone number.
4. A method of operating on non-text messages comprising: for each of one or more non-text messages, searching each non-text message for one or more signal samples falling within one of a plurality of sets of pre-defined characteristics, each said one of said plurality of sets of pre-defined characteristics comprising at least one stored template having a pre-defined characteristic having associated therewith a stored text-based equivalent; for each one or more signal samples found to fall within one of said sets of pre-defined characteristics, storing one or more pointers pointing to said found signal samples in association with said one of said sets of pre-defined characteristics in a message envelope for said each non-text message; for each one or more signal samples found to fall within one of said sets of pre-defined characteristics, storing a text string in said message envelope for said each non-text message based on text-based equivalents to said one or more sets of pre-defined characteristics; based on a user input, searching at least one said message envelope for at least one text string; on finding one message envelope containing said at least one text string, operating on said non-text message associated with said found message envelope; and wherein said user input requests a search for any telephone number and wherein said step of searching for said at least one text string comprises searching for any string of digits of a length representing a telephone number.