Wired 40 has Google no. 1, Apple no. 2 - Microsoft just scrapes in at 36

The latest Wired 40 list has just been released. It's Wired's list of companies that have the 'x-factor', as well as "the basics: strategic vision, global reach, killer technology". Here is the top 10:

1. Google
2. Apple
3. Samsung
4. Genentech
5. Yahoo
6. Amazon.com
7. Toyota
8. General Electric
9. News Corp
10. SAP

Interesting that Google is ranked number one, with a lot of question marks in Wired's commentary ("Is it a search engine? A media company? A software provider? Who cares? Microsoft, for one."). But where is Microsoft itself... number 36 (down from 28 last year), with this rather lame comment:

"The desktop OS gold mine won’t last forever. What’s next? Redmond’s latest to-do list includes software-as-service, security, even VoIP. Or it could simply buy a piece of Yahoo. (Take that, Google!)"

It could buy a piece of Yahoo? That's the best Wired thinks Microsoft could do? Pleeease. I think that's pretty disrespectful when Microsoft has arguably shown more initiative than Google in the past 6-9 months with Windows Live and its software-as-a-service program. Google has released a lot of procucts, but in a 'let's throw things on a wall and see what sticks' kind of way. Don't get me wrong, I love Google and it certainly does have the X factor. But I think it's shallow thinking to dismiss Microsoft, while Google, Apple and Yahoo occupy 3 of the top 5 spots in Wired's list.