A partner in a new Universal Music Group initiative is gBox, which you might not have heard of before last week. The AP has a profile of the Cupertino-based startup. gBox was mentioned in the UMG press release that announced its upcoming experiment of offering DRM-free downloads. The experiment will run from August 2007 to January 2008.

People who follow a Googe AdWord text link from the results of a search for a UMG artist will be taken to gBox. Once there, they'll have the option of a DRM'd or DRM-free download for $0.99. (No information is given on album prices.)

"Under the program, gBox will get referrals through ads that Universal will buy through search leader Google Inc., gBox Chief Executive Tammy Artim said Friday.

Google will get standard advertising fees rather than a cut of sales under the arrangement. The ads, which would appear when Google users search for specific terms such as the name of an artist, will direct users to gBox.

The arrangement with Universal and gBox is separate from Google's music search service, which directs users to online music stores when they search for specific albums or artists. The company says it does not get paid for such referrals, and it does not restrict links to a single retailer.

Google, which has said it has no plans to create a music store of its own, described the new arrangement as strictly an advertising relationship.

Songs at gBox cost 99 cents each. For the Universal songs that are part of the test, gBox will offer an MP3 version free of copy-protection technology known as digital-rights management. A DRM-enabled version will be available at the same price."

gBox is currently optimized only for Internet Explorer 6.0. If you're able to, go check out the site. There's not much there -- there are only two Coldplay songs, for example, and both are available in WMA format -- but it's worth it to browse around a bit. The available file formats was the first thing I looked into after I registered. Here's what that page says:

"iPod®/iTunes® gBox supports Apple’s AAC/Fairplay format for iPod/iTunes. Download music for your iPod in Apple’s AAC/FairPlay format and load it into your iTunes library like any other imported music file. Just synch with your iPod and you’re done. It’s that easy.

PlaysForSure Windows Media®
Download your music in the Windows Media WMA format for your MP3 player and other devices. WMA is compatible with any PlaysForSure device.

Computer Crashed?
Lost all your gBox music files with no backup? Don’t worry! Just redeliver a backup copy from your gBox account.

Multiple Downloads in Multiple Formats
Do you have multiple devices? Perhaps an iPod and a MP3 player?
gBox lets you download protected music in your choice of iPod/iTunes or WMA formats. It’s that simple. The total number of allowable downloads may vary based on record label restrictions for different songs."