Google’s perhaps the best company to work at today, with many innovative products such as Gmail and Google Search (as well as a few failed ones like Google Wave) coming out of the Mountain View California firm. And for the first time ever, Google has beaten Microsoft and gone on to become the third-most valuable company in the world, behind Exxon Mobil and Apple.

According to FactSet Research Systems, Google took over Microsoft’s position at 9.31 a.m Eastern Time today, then fell behind them at 9.36 a.m, then climbed back up past them a minute later and has been holding steady ever since. The Motorola buyout had initially caused a lot of concerns over what effect it would have on Google, but it seems that those concerns will not exist any more.

It’s a great time to be a Google stockholder, and the good times will no doubt continue on. Apple’s the next target, but considering the massive profits and customer loyalty Apple enjoys, the war to overcome the fruit company may wage for a long time to come.