LONDON: Mobile phones began life as machines built for talking – but now, actually making calls is one of their least popular functions.

Smartphone owners now spend just 12 minutes talking on their phones a day – but spend two hours using the gizmos, Daily Mail reported Friday.

Texting – formerly one of the reasons people became addicted to phones – is now less popular, with users spending just 10 minutes sending messages.

In terms of time spent, British users spend more timesurfing the internet, checking social networking sites, playing games and listening to music.

The study of 2,000 smartphone users marking the launch of the Samsung found we spend almost 25 minutes a day surfing the internet.

Mobile phone users also spend a further 17 minutes checking and updating social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, the Mail said.

In comparison, just 12 minutes is spent actually talking to someone on a phone call, while sending text messages accounts for only 10 minutes of use a day.

ROME (Reuters) - Italian fans gloated about their 2-1 win againstGermany in the Euro 2012 semi-final on Thursday, saying they hoped it would help Prime Minister Mario Monti who is locked in a standoff with German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the euro zone’s future.

“This shows Germany who’s in charge,” said Andrea Arces, 20, a student from southern Italy who joined thousands of Italian fans celebrating and waving flags in Rome’s Piazza del Popolo.

“Italy is a strong country and this is how we fight back.”

Two stunning first half-goals by forward Mario Balotelli steered Italy to victory over favourites Germany and into the final of the European soccer championship where they will meet Spain on Sunday in Kiev.

Supporters in Rome’s squares and parks lit coloured flares, chanted in unison and shouted “Grazie Balotelli” after the final whistle blew, and car horns were beeping well into the night.

Monti also faces a showdown with Germany at a two-day European Union summit in Brussels and has promised to press hard for emergency action to lower soaring Italian borrowing costs, a proposal that Merkel has rebuffed so far.

As they grapple with the effects of a German-led European austerity drive that has led to higher taxes, pension reform and spending cuts in the euro zone’s third largest economy, Italians have become increasingly embittered.

While Germany’s economy has powered ahead of its peers, Italy’s has fallen deep into recession in 2012 as rising unemployment and stagnant wage growth fuels a slump in domestic demand.

But the Azzurri’s victory over Germany, who were missing their “lucky charm” Merkel in the crowd of the Warsaw stadium, has at least given Italians one thing to smile about.

“This game shows that Italy is good at something,” said 19 -year-old student Martina Capo, who was draped in an Italian flag. “There are many things that are positive about Italy and this is one of them,” she said.

Others feared the match might reinforce Germany’s cool stance towards Italy’s proposals.

“They’re never going to give us any euro bonds after that,” said 44-year-old Paolo Brusca, who watched the game in a park in Rome with his father.

“We’re a real stone in their shoe. We’re the only ones that really scare them.”

The image of the night in Warsaw on Thursday wasn’t Mario Balotelli ripping off his shirt and, despite his best efforts, failing to keep an ice-cool straight face after he scored the goal of the tournament to take Italy into the final of Euro

2012

In the face of pressure from the embattled euro zone countries Italy and Spain, European leaders agreed early Friday to use the Continent’s bailout funds to recapitalise struggling banks directly, cheering financial markets but prompting unease in Germany, whose taxpayers may face more risk. Stocks and the euro opened strongly higher in Europe and rose all day — a clear suggestion that the summit, by breaking new ground, had exceeded expectations. Analysts cautioned that earlier summit agreements had prompted market rallies that proved short-lived. The decision, by leaders of the 17-nation euro zone, would allow help to banks without adding directly to the sovereign debt of countries, which has been a problem for Spain and potentially for Italy. Both countries have seen the interest rates on their debt rise to levels that would be unsustainable in the long term, and the Italian and Spanish prime ministers, Mario Monti and Mariano Rajoy, came here to push their colleagues to help. Though the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, made concessions, they came with conditions, and some of the detail remained unclear on Friday, prompting calls for more clarity to be provided quickly. The deal was struck after the Italian and Spanish leaders said they would block all other agreements — on a 130 billion euro or $163 billion growth pact, for example — until their colleagues did something to help take the pressure off the third- and fourth-largest economies in the euro zone.

Tim Bresnan celebrates the key wicket of Australia’s captain Michael Clarke. Photo: Getty Images

A calamitous run-out has driven a stake through Australia’s hopes of taking an early lead in the one-day international series against England, with the hosts capitalising to win the first match by 15 runs at Lord’s this morning.

Australian captain Michael Clarke and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade were on track to challenge the winning target of 273 but with 69 runs left to score were involved in a mid-pitch mix-up that proved crucial in the wash-up.

SCORECARD

George Bailey is bowled by England’s James Anderson for 29 runs. Photo: AFP

Stranded at his own end, Wade was left to trudge off with his enterprising 27 from 32 balls cut short and matters got immediately worse when Clarke himself followed him off, trapped leg-before to Tim Bresnan after an impressive 61.

England’s Eoin Morgan had set up victory earlier with a thundering 89 from 63 balls that set the historic ground alight.

Australian veteran Brett Lee’s unbeaten 29 kept a glimmer of hope open for the tourists but they fell short, with England’s bowlers James Anderson, Steven Finn, Stuart Broad, Graaeme Swann and Bresnan holding them to 9-257.

Pat Cummings the centre of attention after dismissing England’s Alastair Cook. Photo: Gety Images

Clarke admitted the run-out of Wade, which left fielding coach Steve Rixon with head in his hands, had been a major blow to Australia.

“It probably played a big part in us not winning the game,” he said. “If Matthew and I were there at the end…we sort of said if we can get there with six overs to go you never know.

“The run rate was up to about 8.5 but we were confident if we were there we were a chance. It’s disappointing. Run outs tend to cost you the game. Losing wickets at very important stages of the game probably hurt us today.”

Australia’s run chase began smartly, with David Warner laying the foundations and with able support from George Bailey placing Clarke’s team seemingly in a good position to take a 1-0 series lead.

However, when England spearhead Anderson removed both in the space of three balls the tables were turned.

Bailey, whose great-great grandfather played for Australia in a match against the MCC at Lord’s in 1878, chopped onto his stumps to depart for 29.

Then Warner fell to a great catch by Craig Kieswetter for a tidy 56 from 61 balls on a ground he had played on for Middlesex but never for Australia.

The visitors were still well positioned at 3-102 in only the 21st over but the scoring rate began to dry up with Clarke and David Hussey in the middle. Their predicament worsened when Hussey played Finn on for 13, and Steve Smith (8) exited as a result of a mis-timed prod at Bresnan.

The required run-drate spiralled out to nine an over with 10 overs remaining and just when Clarke and Wade stepped up the pace it all unravelled.

The second match of the series is at the Oval tomorrow and Clarke said Australia must improve to hit back.

“We were a little bit impatient but that’s what good bowling does,” he said. “It builds pressure and it makes you impatient so you’ve got to find a way.”

Morgan’s theatrical knock late in England’s innings took the gloss off what had been a passable bowling output from Lee, Clint McKay, Patrick Cummins and Xavier Doherty. Cummins removed England captain Alastair Cook for 40 in his first appearance at Lord’s, while Lee claimed his 380th ODI wicket to inch closer breaking Glenn McGrath’s Australian record.