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Samsung Taps James Franco for Galaxy Note 10.1 Spots

Samsung has taken another page from its rival in Cupertino by employing Hollywood star James Franco to promote its new Galaxy Note tablet.

September 5, 2012

Apple already leads the way in terms of celebrity tech endorsements, recently tapping the likes of , and to promote its popular iPhone 4S. But Apple isn't the only smartphone maker capable of wooing Hollywood star power. Samsung recently unveiled a new commercial (below) featuring none other than James Franco in an elaborate video spot to promote the company's new Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet.

The spot makes light of Franco's well-known penchant for taking on a number of vocations in his real life by showing the actor multitasking his way through the day all while using the Samsung tablet. We get to see Franco directing his own cinematographer (followed by a tiger cameo), diagnose an ailing performer, coach a skateboarder, solve a complex equation, and cook a perfectly timed breakfast, in each case demonstrating a feature of the tablet.

While humorous at times, at nearly three minutes in length, the commercial begins to get a bit tedious as the multitasking joke wears thin. So far the video has garnered well over 3 million views on YouTube, but a noticeable portion of viewers have given the spot a thumbs down. Nevertheless, Franco is certainly a fan favorite and Samsung's choice of such relatively cutting-edge personality hints at the company's desire outdo Apple when it comes to winning cool points with younger consumers.

This new mainstream approach to selling devices in the U.S. also points to Samsung's commitment to truly challenging Apple, and any other competitors, for the lead spot in the tablet wars. In that context, and despite Apple's recent regarding device patents, it appears that Samsung has no plans to roll over and surrender the tablet market to its U.S. rivals any time soon.

For more, see and the slideshow above.