Google to offer free e-mail - and to show that it is serious in a bid to challenge yahoo and such, e-mail accounts will have 1GB Storage! (1000 MB) - (I think Yahoo is up to 250MB free?)
It is still in beta mode, but will hopefully start soon. (And if you want that cool "name" before it is taken - sign up early.) BUT AGAIN, Still in beta mode so you can't sign up yet. They have been testing it for about a year now, and will be released to the public soon.
Also no pop ups or banners - but what they are going to do is "dissect the topics being discussed in the e-mails and then deliver text-based ads related to the subjects".