Efficiently displaying customized data on the display of a mobile computing device. Layout files, which are created, using an XML based language, receive data from data generating applications and format the received data to a user's specification. Multiple layout files may be included in a mobile computing device, allowing a user to select from a variety of display formats. Data generated by data generating applications is received and stored in an intermediate status store. Data consuming applications register with the status store indicating which portions of content they consume. When data changes and one or more data consuming applications have registered for the data, the status store notifies the registered data consuming applications so they may receive the data. Specialized data consuming applications called "plug-ins" may be include in layout files. A "plug-in manager" may control when plug-ins update a display device.