Amazon to sell access to online books

Amazon.com is launching two programs that allow people to buy online access to the content of books.

The company, which already allows customers to search the text of hundreds of thousands of books, will allow people to purchase online access "to any page, section, or chapter of a book, as well as the book in its entirety," the company said in a press release.

A second program, called Amazon Upgrade, will allow customers who purchase a physical book on Amazon to "upgrade" their purchase to include complete online access. Pricing details were not immediately available.

More details to follow.