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Small presses producing author-funded print-runs have been around for a long time. They're hardly anything new in the publishing industry...
While moving to ebooks means the author doesn't have to pay to have the book printed, there are still significant costs with regard to editing, design, typesetting, cover production and especially promotion. The Web is getting increasingly crowded, and promoting your own work involves a lot more than just creating a website (though it would be a good start to make one that actually has some content on it).
Sorry, I don't think vanity presses are the future of books. There's a place for self-publishing and there are a small number of people who have a unique situation that can make it work. But to pretend it's some form of grand solution is just delusional.
There are plenty of authors desperate to be read, but I just don't have enough hours in the day and don't read their stuff even when they give it away for free.
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