Google will stop issuing new UK subscribers with a @gmail.com address. It is because the term Gmail have been used by a London based firm two years ago. Google still did not introduced their free web-mail application. Google will ssue a @googlemail.com address instead of @gmail.com. Current UK users of Google's service will not be affected. However, it forced Google to drop their Gmail name in Germany in May. @gmail.com is their most high-profile brands. Without this gmail address, would you still want to sign up an account? News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4354954.stm

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hell yeah, found that out too when i invited some friends. that's really annoying to write these five more letters. seriously!
I'm happy that I'm an early user :-)

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Yea, I like the gmail dot com much better than the new one, happy me I am an early user too

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I wonder if this will wind up affecting the North American users
later on down the road? I love my gmail accounts, and the address
is a big part of that. Nice, simple and recognizable.

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They had this problem in Germany as well, and the had to give German people @googlemail.com accounts, because Gmail was a brand used by a seperate company in Germany.
I think it would be better for Google to drop the Gmail brand worldwide and replace it with Google Mail everywhere, otherwise, I think there's gonna be quite a bit of confusion.

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Yes, the friends who signed up were from Germany. Are you German?
I don't think they should drop the brand. They should buy the other brands. googlemail is much too long! The best thing would be @google but that's probably not possible :-(

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They said that we don't have to worry about people sending e-mails to existing addresses. Example, me@gmail.com, becomes me@googlemail.com. However, people sending mail to me@gmail.com will still go through to me@googlemail.com.

I see no confusion, and don't think it is as complex as some people I have seen on other forums make out.

If people really want to have a free personalized e-mail account (name@anythingyouwant.com) then check out http://www.mail.com (rather simple name), the service is not all that great, but it is good for those that want me@me.com.

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No, I'm not German. I'm in the UK. In Gmail (oppps... should really call it Google Mail now!) there's a link at the top, much like the "New Features!" links, leading to a page of info about the name change, due to legal reasons, and it mentions that they've done it in Germany too. Either that, or I read it in the news somewhere. I honestly can't remember, and I haven't got enough time to check.

I agree with you when you say that googlemail.com is too long. I prefer Gmail, and I just think it will generate some confusion for those people who don't know about the legal name change. They might think that Google has two different email services, or that one's fake and is some sort of phishing scam, or whatever else rubbish.

 

 

 

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I don't see why they care, if they want Google to stop using @gmail.com they should have but the domain name first... I understand them not wanting their companies name mistaken for something else or stolen or anything along the lines of that, but GMail is simply a shortened for of Google Mail. My name if abbreviated the same way: FLast (f=first as in first name) is a company name too, now are they going to sue me or make me change my name is I right my name somewhere as F Last? No...

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