Agreed. How is the gmail address NOT a real email address? Do you want everyone to buy a domain and then set up storage, etc? And then try to copy all the gmail features, including the excellent spam detection?
I have a real gmail address, as well as a real name address, as well as several work specific addresses, all ongoing to my very real gmail account.
(of course, if you offer SEO services and send from a gmail account then that is an example of a not real email address)(yeah I'm talking to you Rosa at seorankingexpert@hotmail.com and friends)