chiclet keyboard

chiclet keyboard
 n.

   A keyboard with a small, flat rectangular or lozenge-shaped rubber or
   plastic keys that look like pieces of chewing gum. (Chiclets is the
   brand name of a variety of chewing gum that does in fact resemble the
   keys of chiclet keyboards.) Used esp. to describe the original IBM
   PCjr keyboard. Vendors unanimously liked these because they were
   cheap, and a lot of early portable and laptop products got launched
   using them. Customers rejected the idea with almost equal unanimity,
   and chiclets are not often seen on anything larger than a digital
   watch any more.
    

chiclet keyboard

   <hardware, abuse> A {keyboard} with a small, flat rectangular
   or lozenge-shaped rubber or plastic keys that look like pieces
   of Chiclets chewing gum.  Used especially to describe the
   original {IBM PCjr} keyboard.  Vendors unanimously liked these
   because they were cheap, and a lot of early {portable} and
   {laptop computers} were launched with them.  Customers
   rejected the idea with almost equal unanimity, and chiclets
   are not often seen on anything larger than a digital watch any
   more.

   [{Jargon File}]

   (1997-05-16)