Once you get an unobstructed view of how the business is operating, and that all of these technological advances are just plugging into the old vanity-press mode, the picture becomes much clearer. And if you combine that with understanding where you are, as a writer, in the scheme of things, your decisions will come easily. First off, begin by defining your goals. Pare this down to one sentence, exactly as you would with a book you wanted to pitch. And lastly, reduce this to one sentence.
Some books lend themselves directly to the new technology.
If you're writing, say, a family memoir or something related to personal genealogy, then a vanity press may be the perfect venue for you. Because, only those few folks who can plug into what you're writing will be buying your book anyway. If you're writing for a broader market, and especially with fiction, it's still okay to do the vanity, print-ondemand, or eBook thing, as long as you understand clearly that's not REAL publishing. You have a choice to make. Make it NOW, before pursuing publication.