One embodiment of the present invention is an XML application module that processes an XML character stream, which module includes an XML interface module, a parallel bit stream module, a lexical item stream module, a parser and a parsed data receiver. The XML interface module applies the XML character stream as input to the parallel bit stream module and the parser; the parallel bit stream module forms parallel bit streams and applies them as input to the lexical item stream module; the lexical stream module forms lexical item streams and applies them as input to the parser; the parser forms a stream of parsed XML data and applies it as input to the parsed data receiver; and the parsed data receiver processes the stream of parsed XML data. The parsed data receiver may be, for example, a communication module of a portable communication device.