Chiclet keyboard
A chiclet keyboard is a computer keyboard built with an array of small, flat rectangular or lozenge-shaped rubber or plastic keys that look like erasers or pieces of chewing gum. The term comes from "Chiclets," the brand name of a variety of chewing gum. "Chiclet keyboard" was most notably used to describe the original IBM PCjr keyboard.Vendors unanimously liked the chiclet keyboard because it was cheap to produce, and many early home, portable and laptop computers were launched with it. However, consumers rejected it with almost equal unanimity. After 1985, chiclet keyboards were not often seen other than on some digital watches, small handheld calculators, and cheap nonexpandable PDAss.
In addition to the ill-fated PCjr, the following home computers were equipped with chiclet keyboards:
- Cambridge Z88 (arguably a mix between membrane and chiclet keyboard)
- Commodore PET model 2001 (the original 1977 PET)
- Jupiter ACE
- Mattel Aquarius
- Sinclair ZX Spectrum 16/48K (later models had improved keyboards)
- Texas Instruments TI-99/4
- Timex Sinclair 1500 and 2068 (U.S. ZX81 and ZX Spectrum derivations)
- VTech Laser 200
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This article was originally based on material from the Free On-line Dictionary of Computing and is used with permission under the GFDL.