Google released a test version of its free email service, Gmail, on April 1 to a select few. Now invitations to get a free Gmail account are being auctioned on eBay. AuctionBytes did not learn of the auctions in time to confirm with Google the legitimacy of these invitations. Whether current auctions are valid or not, it seems likely scammers will join in soon since it appears there's no way to check the legitimacy of the Gmail offer.

One eBay seller revised his auction to complain that other sellers were copying the contents of his auction. "Geez... how tough is it to write something up. What bothers me is that some of you didn't even take the time to edit the typos that I couldn't edit."

On Google's Web site, the FAQ section for Gmail reads in part, "We're currently only offering Gmail as part of a preview release and limited test. We don't have details on when Gmail will be made more widely available, as that depends in part on the results of the test."

Google's Gmail service is similar to other free email services like Hotmail and Yahoo, but offers much more storage capacity and utilizes Google search to organize correspondence.

The Wall Street Journal ran a story about the desirability of user names. "Now, many people see Gmail as a way to ditch their lousy online identities - often scarred by random numbers, strange punctuation and awkward spellings - and start fresh."

Of course, these auctions do not guarantee you'll get the name you want, since someone else may have already opened up an account with your name.

In other Google news, the company filed for an Initial Public Offering, meaning it is taking the company public.

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