Last month, Apple became the second largest company in America, according to Fast Company. That said, Apple is now bigger than Google, Microsoft, Walmart, General Electric, or any other enterprise not named ExxonMobil.

Wow.

As Fast Company’s Farhad Manjoo so perceptively analyzes, it’s all because Apple knows what you want even more than you do. They don’t solicit outside feedback. They orchestrate announcements (not to mention internal controls) in a way that would make Kim Jong-il proud.

Furthermore, they say “no” more than “yes” when deciding on product features. They’re insular in their strategy. And they certainly don’t subscribe to the trendy ethos that openness, transparency, or even user-generated creativity is the future of business.

In other words, they’re leaders. Even if you don’t agree with their heading.

Speaking personally, I don’t believe in everything Apple makes. And I’m not blinded from their previous failures (i.e. no right clicks, removal of arrow keys, spinning beach balls, 1997, hyperbole, questionable pricing, personal digital assistants, and gaming consoles to name a few.)

But I admire their willingness to write the future as they see it, rather than adding to how everyone else views it. It’s what makes their industrial design so phenomenal. It’s what makes their operating systems so wonderful.

It’s what makes them Apple.

Technology is making us stupid.

Don’t believe me? Read this story about how Apple is now tracking the exact location of iPhone users and sharing it with advertisers.

Or this one documenting numerous Facebook security holes.

Or how have slowly made themselves more vulnerable while broadcasting there whereabouts on Twitter (NOTE TO BURGLARS: When I message that I’m away from home, don’t believe me).

Or the mother of all “You’re freakin’ crazy” behavior: The whole idea behind Foursquare (aka willingly telling the world your precise location so marketers and predators could potentially exploit you.)

I’m not saying the above mentioned technologies aren’t without their advantages. Or that we should shun the use of such technology.

But our intimate relationships with many (if not all) of these technologies have gone too far. As a result, our privacy has been compromised. In many ways, we’ve become our own oppressors. Obsessive sharing might even have consequences on our freedom.

The good news is that much of this can be reversed by hitting the power button or delete button. Of course, you need to know where you’ve posted personal information online, including photos. Delete the ones that no longer (or never did) have any utility.

But most of all, be wary of publishing anything online you wouldn’t broadcast on your front lawn (including your blog).

Now back to regularly scheduled TMI…

DISCLOSURE: This post was written by a protective husband and father. (D’oh! I did it again.)

1. Cell phones (see also: SMS)
2. Online search (aka Google)
3. Self-publishing (i.e. Blogging, Facebook, YouTube)
4. Digital cameras
5. Broadband Internet
6. Web software (Google Docs, Firefox add-ons, etc.)
7. Really Simple Syndication (aka RSS)
8. Gesture control (i.e. Nintendo DS, Wii, Apple iPhone)
9. Global positioning systems (aka GPS)
10. USB storage devices (i.e. thumb drives)

I’d probably put digital video recorders at no. 11. Am I missing anything?

Although the inventor of modern running shoes, Nike doesn’t have a reputation among distance runners these days. Said athletes usually wear one of five brands: Asics (which Nike first sold as a distributor in the ’60s), Mizuno, Brooks, Saucony or New Balance. You just can’t “do it” in Nikes anymore, at least without looking like a corporate shill.

Putting the brand aside for a minute, it’s obvious Nike’s top of the line running shoes are just as competent as others, even if they’re not sold in running boutiques. Vibram is the only manufacturer that may end up having a technological advantage. Until then, the rest are all designed with big R&D budgets, and they’re well-cushioned, stable, and light. The same is definitely true of the recently released Lunar Glides by Nike.

Despite its peculiar, almost off-putting looks, the shoe is radically functional. As part of Nike’s Free (aka barefoot) line of running shoes, the Lunar Glides are rated as a “10,” it being the most like a traditional shoe (”0″ being completely barefoot). They feel nothing like running in Five Fingers (although they look better), but deep grooves in both the out- and mid-soles make the Glides feel more flexible, while providing excellent grip at the same time.

Additionally, the “Free 10″ label is more than marketing parlance, as the shoes are super light—right on par with Asics. At the same time, they are comfortable and stable, thanks to thick mid soles with raised sides to discourage pronation. The lightness comes at the expense of durability though. Unlike most Asics, which use fish net-like fabric to protect the uppersole, the Lunar Glides sheath your feet in soft cotton-like fabric. They breathe like a dream, but they tear easily. After falling last month, I ripped a hole in the fabric near my big toe. My sock isn’t showing (yet), so hopefully the inner layer of fabric won’t follow suit.

Perhaps the biggest advantage of the Glides, however, is that they come with Nike+ baked in. Insert the pebble like monitor in a fitted hole underneath the insole, and you’re good—no exterior lace jacket required. Granted, a sensor holder works just as well, but they do run $10 extra. (The Glides retail for $80-100 depending on the store.) Although deserving of its own review, I’m sold on Nike+, as it encourages a faster pace better than a stop watch. Plus, it keeps track of all my stats, so I can compare past performance with present.

Back to the elephant in the room—are you capable of wearing the Swoosh and everything it stands for (blase status, a sweatshop past, corporate-ness) as a runner? You decide. Just know that Nike still makes great footwear. And Lunar Glides are equally as comfortable as $150 running shoes made by sexier brands.

Coming up next: Fibram FiveFinger Classic, Nike Free 3.0

Review based on retail pair of Lunar Glides provided by Nike.

I’m watching U.S. Open Tennis live, right now, in HD on the grand slam’s official website, usopen.org. It. Is. Awesome. Here’s why:

1. You control coverage. Unlike TV, this broadcast lets you pick and choose which matches you want to see from all available courts, including picture in picture. Nice.
2. Live commenting. Want to discuss the match with other fans in between side changes (or during points)? Click that little overlay in the upper right corner and you can.
3. Stats on demand. How many unforced errors does Blake have? Click on the match stats overlay and bam!
4. It’s free. What more can I say?

That’s interactive television done right. That’s the future of broadcasting. Now if only we can get a simple computer-to-TV streaming solution, as neither my Wii or PS3 browser is compatible.

The black coloring makes them look more discreet than they really are. When seen in-person, it’s as if I’m wearing ballerina slippers. (Ridiculous!) Nevertheless, I’m excited to review what’s been called the “next best thing to barefooting” on my daily runs—no heel crashing allowed. Wait for it.

I don’t despise Microsoft. I still use XP (alongside OS X on my Mac). Xbox 360 can be a fun time. And Word is still a must for professional document design (GoogleDocs is too limited in some cases). But in recent years, I’ve started to like Microsoft less and less. The reason? They follow the leader now instead of carving their own path. Says long-time tech columnist John C. Dvorak: “Microsoft is a software company. It has been distracted too easily by the success of others in essentially unrelated fields.”

Too support this claim, Dvorak convincingly mentions Microsoft’s ambitions to launch a Google-killer, iPod-killer, and  Apple Store-killer… all at the same time! Previously the company tried to be an AOL-killer, Netscape-killer (that didn’t make any money), book-maker, toy-maker, and Photoshop-killer… all while Microsoft Office/Enterprise—the company’s bread and butter—brought in the real money. Frankly, I’m not sure Microsoft has pioneered an original idea in the last 15 years.

From the latest issue of Wired:

Let’s be clear: Walking around with a Bluetooth device in your ear is pure douchebaggery. There is no excuse for it… If you’re out among normals, flaunting your tech doesn’t make you look like the King of Coolsville, it makes you look like Count Clueless of Dorkylvania.

That’s what I said.

The girls and I just got back from a sweet vacation to Teton, Yellowstone, and Montana. It was one of the best vacations I’ve ever had, given all the sights and activities we were able to participate in. One of the coolest “features” of the trip: no cell reception, internet, or TV at our cabin. We were utterly disconnected, which allowed us to be completely present in the moment. “It totally changes the dynamic of the group,” my wife told me yesterday. It sure did, for the better. Can’t wait to go even longer without a connection next time.

Does social networking really work as a marketing tool?  My CIO is standing firm that it does not.

Yes, it does, provided you have something interesting to say. For example, my blogging efforts on Smooth Harold alone have directly resulted in checks amounting to around $17,000 over the last four years, excluding advertising. I have no idea of the indirect effects realized by Smooth Harold, but I suspect they are two to three times the stated amount. Add that to my participation on other blogs (either as a publisher or commenter), Digg, and Facebook contributions, and that number becomes even higher. That may not be much for a large company, but keep in mind I’m an independent contractor. Depending on how well you market message, that number can become exponentially higher.

That said, social networking only works in business situations where you can positively influence someone or make them think you are cooler than your competitor. That’s harder to do in 140 characters or less (on Twitter), so keep that in mind when identifying which platforms are right for you. NOTE: Blogging has the largest and most diverse social networking audience by far, not to mention the most adaptable way to tell a story (be it written, with video, etc).