Platforms and techniques for defining, authorizing/authenticating, distributing, and presenting dynamic device experiences using a number of hierarchically-related, declarative language data structures, such as extensible markup language (“XML”) elements or attributes. A dynamic device experience is presented when two electronic devices are in communication via a communication medium. The data structures are processed to present a graphical user interface to a user—the graphical user interface implements a dynamic device experience associated with the other electronic device. In one exemplary scenario, independent hardware vendors (“IHVs”) author XML documents that include device experience information (such as branding or advertising information, access to Web services or applications, and access to device functionality), in the form of items of data stored in the data structures. The XML documents are verified against a predetermined schema, secured using a cryptographic technique such as a digital signature, and discovered/distributed in flexible, tamper-resistant manners.