[kgmallory]

So I just got my Moment and have been rather excited, until now. I have a Google account for calendar, etc. I do not use GMAIL, and never will, unless they can get some additional domains users can choose from.

When I connect to sync and setup my Google apps on my phone, it asks me for my Google account info. I put it in, then it returns saying that the account is not linked ot GMAIL and tells me to setup a new account. If I already have a Google account, why do I need a GMAIL account? I'm not interested in created a second Google account when I already have my calendar and other Google apps. setup in my current one.

So, is a GMAIL account really REQUIRED to use the Google features on an Android phone? Is there a work around?

[ezgoer25]

Not sure of the answer, but is it a problem for you to create a Gmail account? It's not like you have to use it.

[liqidvenom]

why not take the phone back and get a non google phone if it is bothering you that much.

[Gibsohnn]

Yes, you HAVE to have a GMAIL account to use the Market...not just a Google Calendar account. As stated above, it's not an email account you have to use, think of it more as a "log in" to the Market.

[boo5ted]

Originally Posted by liqidvenom

why not take the phone back and get a non google phone if it is bothering you that much.

Exactly.

[Taubin]

If you own your own domain, you can use that for your email as well, as long as it's using the google mail through google apps. http://www.google.com/a

I use google mail on my main domain for my email and calendar, and the email addresses are all user@domain.com not user@gmail.com

[kgmallory]

Originally Posted by liqidvenom

why not take the phone back and get a non google phone if it is bothering you that much.

That's like cutting off your whole arm because you have a broken finger.

I like the phone, but this aspect of the Android platform seems silly. Why can't Google make their software work around their customers instead of the other way around. Google does some neat stuff, but not everyone has or wants a GMAIL account.

But in this case, I had to break down and do it. Thankfully, I was able to find a simple GMAIL address that did not require I include a bunch of random numbers. I've always had very simple firstnamelastname@domain.com e-mail addresses, and preferred to keep it that way, even if I don't use it. I guess I'm just a little OCD.

[TheEsupremacy]

Having a Gmail account is crucial to owning an Adroid based phone. You want one, trust me. It backs up all your info and contacts so if you ever want to reset your phone back to factory you just log in under your Gmail account and it downloads all your import info back to your phone. It's a convienence, really. You don't need one though. You can also store mulitple email addresses. So, make a Gmail address and use it for just your phone.

[kgmallory]

Originally Posted by TheEsupremacy

Having a Gmail account is crucial to owning an Adroid based phone. You want one, trust me. It backs up all your info and contacts so if you ever want to reset your phone back to factory you just log in under your Gmail account and it downloads all your import info back to your phone. It's a convienence. You don't need one though.

That's fine, but why can't they do that with just a regular Google account, instead of an actual GMAIL account? It seems to me that the only direct benefit of having a GMAIL address is.....well, I can't think of one. Everyone who buys an Android phone is already going to have an email account. Why make us get another one, when we can just create a Google account under our current email address?

I guess it's a moot point by now, and not really worth making an issue of. But it still kinda bugs me. We'll see if I stick with a Google phone a year from now or if I go back to BB or WinMo.

[dlichterman]

They push your gmail and have google chat. Thats why they want you to use gmail.

Originally Posted by kgmallory

That's fine, but why can't they do that with just a regular Google account, instead of an actual GMAIL account? It seems to me that the only direct benefit of having a GMAIL address is.....well, I can't think of one. Everyone who buys an Android phone is already going to have an email account. Why make us get another one, when we can just create a Google account under our current email address?

I guess it's a moot point by now, and not really worth making an issue of. But it still kinda bugs me. We'll see if I stick with a Google phone a year from now or if I go back to BB or WinMo.

[Natty_lite]

Originally Posted by liqidvenom

why not take the phone back and get a non google phone if it is bothering you that much.

Best solution to the problem. No reason to hassle yourself with the burden of a free Gmail address.

[apuzilla]

Originally Posted by kgmallory

That's like cutting off your whole arm because you have a broken finger.

I like the phone, but this aspect of the Android platform seems silly. Why can't Google make their software work around their customers instead of the other way around. Google does some neat stuff, but not everyone has or wants a GMAIL account.

But in this case, I had to break down and do it. Thankfully, I was able to find a simple GMAIL address that did not require I include a bunch of random numbers. I've always had very simple firstnamelastname@domain.com e-mail addresses, and preferred to keep it that way, even if I don't use it. I guess I'm just a little OCD.

just putting this out there ... but you dont need to create a WHOLE new email address to use gmail if you already have a google account ... you login to your google account and "activiate" your gmail ... keeping everything the same BUT with a ***@gmail.com addded on

Hope this help and i do agree with you this is a VERY MOOT point ... which its just a email address. That you will not have to use ever again BUT if you decide to buy apps it needs a gmail account to be able to reference the bought apps and if any case your phone dies permanently or burns up or you drop it in the lake ... you connect your info to the new android phone and everything from contacts to apps will be redownloaded.

Hope this helps

[liqidvenom]

Originally Posted by Natty_lite

Best solution to the problem. No reason to hassle yourself with the burden of a free Gmail address.

i just didnt understand what the big deal is when the gmail account is free.

[kgmallory]

Originally Posted by apuzilla

just putting this out there ... but you dont need to create a WHOLE new email address to use gmail if you already have a google account ... you login to your google account and "activiate" your gmail ... keeping everything the same BUT with a ***@gmail.com addded on

Hope this help and i do agree with you this is a VERY MOOT point ... which its just a email address. That you will not have to use ever again BUT if you decide to buy apps it needs a gmail account to be able to reference the bought apps and if any case your phone dies permanently or burns up or you drop it in the lake ... you connect your info to the new android phone and everything from contacts to apps will be redownloaded.

Hope this helps

That's what I ended up doing yesterday and researching it. I was glad that I was able to keep my calendars and contacts in my existing Google account and only had to add GMAIL to it, instead of making a separate account.

[kgmallory]

Originally Posted by liqidvenom

i just didnt understand what the big deal is when the gmail account is free.

Just because something is free doesn't mean that it was wanted or needed. And your right, it really isn't a big deal. I didn't think I was making it a big deal. All I was doing was asking a simple question to see if there was a workaround. Obviously some people thought it was a bigger issue than I did.

While I don't agree with the requirement, it definetely isn't worth returning the phone over (WTH to whoever suggested that). All in all it's a good phone, with good features, and good services, so I'll stick with it for the time being.

I think it's about time for a thread lock. Admins., do your thing.