The phones are very closely tied to Google and certain features need you to have an operative google account, which you normally set up when you first get the phone. Did you make an account with Google... you would need this for the Android market too.
You don't have to use this account for anything once its set up, the only thing you would recieve on the mail element would be reciepts for any apps purchased from the market. The account also allows access to Googles online calendar and contacts sync if you wish. You don't have to use the sync function so you can turn this function off on the phone once you have set everything up.
