Are they the wave of the future? Perhaps, but not for some time. Ebooks do well in the romance, science fiction, and business markets. General fiction and nonfiction are still selling better in paper form. I don't think they will replace paper for some time - the ebook readers still leave a lot to be desired (both Sony's and Kindle). I would look at them as simply another avenue for your publishing revenue. So there is print, audio, and now digital.
I haven't explored it per se. However, I think it would be a wise marketing tool to offer your book in as many formats as possible. So, I would suggest making your book or even separate chapters of your book in eBook format. Also in audio format. We are such an "on the go" society, many people listen to books on their car's CD player. Personally, I love to cuddle up with a good book but just as people have different learning styles, people have different preferences for absorbing information as well.