Changing Apple ID

Hi, I've had an Apple account for a couple of years and I have just got the iPhone 4S.
So I decide to set myself up a @me account as I want to completely ditch my old gmail account in favour of this new one.

So I can sign into my apple account using my @me email but it comes up with my old gmail apple ID. Is there any way of changing this because I want to completly ditch my old gmail account and I feel like I'm tied to it.

I've gone into my apple account and it shows up both of my email addresses but I want to make my @me the preferred one. Is this possible?

Where were you doing all of this? On the phone, in iTunes, online?

You can't rename an apple ID so if your username is [email protected] that's the way it has to stay.
You can add the new email address you've created as your primary contact email (which I think is what you have done if you're seeing both email addresses on your account details) but the username will not be updated.

The only way you can prevent the gmail username appearing is to create a brand new Apple ID. But be aware that there is no mechanism for transferring purchases between IDs so this new would be box fresh.

I thought this might be the case, so I've just got my @me as an additional email address. I take I cannot delete my gmail account otherwise I wont get receipts of app store purchases?
Is there any way at all to make the @me the primary address just so I can delete my gmail account?
This probably sound really dumb but I just can't get my head around it

You can make the @me email your primary, log into your account online there's an option in there.