The Yammer From Microsoft

Microsoft's makeover in 2012 is coming at a price. In June, Microsoft announced a $1.2 billion deal to acquire Yammer, which runs private social networks for businesses. Then, for the debut of Windows 8 in October, Microsoft planned to spend more than $1 billion on marketing the redesigned operating system, according to Advertising Age.

Windows 8 is part of the company's urgent embrace of mobile devices, as it tries to challenge Apple's iPad. Will a billion dollars on marketing be enough? The iPad generated about $32 billion in revenue during Apple's 2012 fiscal year.