Brits spend an average of half of each day using technology

Brits are spending more and more time in front of their computer screens and mobile phones, new research finds.

A recent study commissioned by the UK telecoms regulator Ofcom has revealed that Britons spend as much as 45 percent of their day using technology such as computers, mobiles and televisions. Most Brits are using more than one device at a time - and managing to cram an average of eight hours and 48 minutes of media consumption into just seven hours.

While the trend is largely being driven by consumers under 25 who use their smartphones to do everything from chat to shop, the over-55 sector is catching up. Over half of Britons older than 55 now have broadband in their homes.

"Younger people have shown the biggest changes in how we use media - particularly using different media at the same time," explained Peter Philips, a partner at Ofcom. "But the divide between younger and older people's use of technology is starting to narrow as more older people are getting online and finding that things like email are very important to them."

Additionally, 53 percent of the survey's respondents stated that they were likely to use broadband to shop, and 61 percent added that they now use online comparison sites to find better deals.

According to other recent Ofcom research, 37 percent of people over age 55 use email each day and 47 percent use it weekly.