diff --git a/res/values/strings.xml b/res/values/strings.xml
index 17f6b8e84..1d67b36c4 100644
--- a/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -515,6 +515,8 @@ save attachment.</string>
     <!-- On "Set up email" screen, label of text field -->
     <string name="account_setup_names_user_name_label">
         Your name (displayed on outgoing messages)</string>
+    <!-- On "Set up email" screen, error pop-up when user_name field is empty [CHAR LIMIT=none] -->
+    <string name="account_setup_names_user_name_empty_error">This field cannot be blank</string>
 
     <!-- Activity Title for the account type selector (IMAP or POP3 or EAS) [CHAR LIMIT=45] -->
     <string name="account_setup_account_type_title">Account setup</string>
diff --git a/res/xml/account_settings_preferences.xml b/res/xml/account_settings_preferences.xml
index c1b493b8b..a06b6d065 100644
--- a/res/xml/account_settings_preferences.xml
+++ b/res/xml/account_settings_preferences.xml
@@ -24,21 +24,24 @@
             android:order="1"
             android:title="@string/account_settings_description_label"
             android:summary=""
-            android:dialogTitle="@string/account_settings_description_label" />
+            android:dialogTitle="@string/account_settings_description_label"
+            android:inputType="textCapWords" />
 
         <EditTextPreference
             android:key="account_name"
             android:order="2"
             android:title="@string/account_settings_name_label"
             android:summary=""
-            android:dialogTitle="@string/account_settings_name_label" />
+            android:dialogTitle="@string/account_settings_name_label"
+            android:inputType="textPersonName|textCapWords" />
 
         <EditTextPreference
             android:key="account_signature"
             android:order="3"
             android:title="@string/account_settings_signature_label"
-            android:summary=""
-            android:dialogTitle="@string/account_settings_signature_label" />
+            android:summary="@string/account_settings_signature_hint"
+            android:dialogTitle="@string/account_settings_signature_label"
+            android:inputType="textCapSentences" />
 
         <ListPreference
             android:key="account_check_frequency"
diff --git a/src/com/android/email/activity/setup/AccountSettingsFragment.java b/src/com/android/email/activity/setup/AccountSettingsFragment.java
index 0cec7d819..e65270980 100644
--- a/src/com/android/email/activity/setup/AccountSettingsFragment.java
+++ b/src/com/android/email/activity/setup/AccountSettingsFragment.java
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import android.preference.PreferenceFragment;
 import android.preference.RingtonePreference;
 import android.provider.Calendar;
 import android.provider.ContactsContract;
+import android.text.TextUtils;
 import android.util.Log;
 
 /**
@@ -363,7 +364,10 @@ public class AccountSettingsFragment extends PreferenceFragment {
         mAccountDescription.setOnPreferenceChangeListener(
             new Preference.OnPreferenceChangeListener() {
                 public boolean onPreferenceChange(Preference preference, Object newValue) {
-                    final String summary = newValue.toString();
+                    String summary = newValue.toString().trim();
+                    if (TextUtils.isEmpty(summary)) {
+                        summary = mAccount.mEmailAddress;
+                    }
                     mAccountDescription.setSummary(summary);
                     mAccountDescription.setText(summary);
                     onPreferenceChanged();
@@ -377,22 +381,27 @@ public class AccountSettingsFragment extends PreferenceFragment {
         mAccountName.setText(mAccount.getSenderName());
         mAccountName.setOnPreferenceChangeListener(new Preference.OnPreferenceChangeListener() {
             public boolean onPreferenceChange(Preference preference, Object newValue) {
-                final String summary = newValue.toString();
-                mAccountName.setSummary(summary);
-                mAccountName.setText(summary);
-                onPreferenceChanged();
+                final String summary = newValue.toString().trim();
+                if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(summary)) {
+                    mAccountName.setSummary(summary);
+                    mAccountName.setText(summary);
+                    onPreferenceChanged();
+                }
                 return false;
             }
         });
 
         mAccountSignature = (EditTextPreference) findPreference(PREFERENCE_SIGNATURE);
-        mAccountSignature.setSummary(mAccount.getSignature());
+        String signature = mAccount.getSignature();
+        if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(signature)) {
+            mAccountSignature.setSummary(mAccount.getSignature());
+        }
         mAccountSignature.setText(mAccount.getSignature());
         mAccountSignature.setOnPreferenceChangeListener(
                 new Preference.OnPreferenceChangeListener() {
                     public boolean onPreferenceChange(Preference preference, Object newValue) {
-                        String summary = newValue.toString();
-                        if (summary == null || summary.length() == 0) {
+                        String summary = newValue.toString().trim();
+                        if (TextUtils.isEmpty(summary)) {
                             mAccountSignature.setSummary(R.string.account_settings_signature_hint);
                         } else {
                             mAccountSignature.setSummary(summary);
@@ -601,8 +610,10 @@ public class AccountSettingsFragment extends PreferenceFragment {
         newFlags |= mAccountBackgroundAttachments.isChecked() ? 
                 Account.FLAGS_BACKGROUND_ATTACHMENTS : 0;
         mAccount.setDefaultAccount(mAccountDefault.isChecked());
-        mAccount.setDisplayName(mAccountDescription.getText());
-        mAccount.setSenderName(mAccountName.getText());
+        // If the display name has been cleared, we'll reset it to the default value (email addr)
+        mAccount.setDisplayName(mAccountDescription.getText().trim());
+        // The sender name must never be empty (this is enforced by the preference editor)
+        mAccount.setSenderName(mAccountName.getText().trim());
         mAccount.setSignature(mAccountSignature.getText());
         newFlags |= mAccountNotify.isChecked() ? Account.FLAGS_NOTIFY_NEW_MAIL : 0;
         mAccount.setSyncInterval(Integer.parseInt(mCheckFrequency.getValue()));
diff --git a/src/com/android/email/activity/setup/AccountSetupNames.java b/src/com/android/email/activity/setup/AccountSetupNames.java
index d8a0a37be..8c8eca964 100644
--- a/src/com/android/email/activity/setup/AccountSetupNames.java
+++ b/src/com/android/email/activity/setup/AccountSetupNames.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import android.content.Intent;
 import android.os.AsyncTask;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.text.Editable;
+import android.text.TextUtils;
 import android.text.TextWatcher;
 import android.text.method.TextKeyListener;
 import android.text.method.TextKeyListener.Capitalize;
@@ -41,8 +42,6 @@ import android.widget.EditText;
 
 /**
  * Final screen of setup process.  Collect account nickname and/or username.
- *
- * TODO: Better processing of account nickname including trimming and prevention of empty string.
  */
 public class AccountSetupNames extends AccountSetupActivity implements OnClickListener {
     private static final int REQUEST_SECURITY = 0;
@@ -136,7 +135,15 @@ public class AccountSetupNames extends AccountSetupActivity implements OnClickLi
      * Check input fields for legal values and enable/disable next button
      */
     private void validateFields() {
-        boolean newEnabled = mEasAccount || Utility.isTextViewNotEmpty(mName);
+        boolean newEnabled = true;
+        // Validation is based only on the "user name" field, not shown for EAS accounts
+        if (!mEasAccount) {
+            String userName = mName.getText().toString().trim();
+            newEnabled = !TextUtils.isEmpty(userName);
+            if (!newEnabled) {
+                mName.setError(getString(R.string.account_setup_names_user_name_empty_error));
+            }
+        }
         mNextButton.setEnabled(newEnabled);
     }
 
@@ -173,10 +180,11 @@ public class AccountSetupNames extends AccountSetupActivity implements OnClickLi
     private void onNext() {
         // Update account object from UI
         Account account = SetupData.getAccount();
-        if (Utility.isTextViewNotEmpty(mDescription)) {
-            account.setDisplayName(mDescription.getText().toString());
+        String description = mDescription.getText().toString().trim();
+        if (!TextUtils.isEmpty(description)) {
+            account.setDisplayName(description);
         }
-        account.setSenderName(mName.getText().toString());
+        account.setSenderName(mName.getText().toString().trim());
 
         // Launch async task for final commit work
         new FinalSetupTask(account).execute();