A method (300) of manipulating on a mobile device (600), using a software application (133) configured to emulate manipulation operations of different associated software applications, content items stored in slow access memory (125) on the mobile device, the method comprising (a) storing a selected plurality of items in fast access memory (109); (b) designating one of the stored items as the active item and displaying (310) the active item and an associated tab; (c) displaying tabs associated with other stored items; (d) applying (316) an emulated manipulation operation associated with the active item to the active item; and (e) in response to a selection (320) of a displayed tab associated with another item, (i) storing (322) the manipulated active item in the fast access memory, (ii) displaying the other item associated with the selected tab.