pen-based

[ pen-beyst ]

adjective

1. (of a computer) having an electronic stylus rather than a keyboard as the primary input device.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pen-based¹

First recorded in 1991

Example Sentences

Microsoft had been anticipating a cheap, pen-based Mac to compete with the Windows-based Netbooks that were selling well.

From The Verge

If you know your PC history, Microsoft became a big fan of tablets and pen-based computing in the early 1990s, and was trying to influence their partners to back this idea.

From Time

Microsoft’s planned Windows 10 Anniversary Update this summer is expected to add more pen-based input opportunities within the operating system.

From New York Times

Firms trumpet their boldness, yet they often follow one another, lemming-like, pursuing the latest innovation—pen-based computers, biotech, interactive television, superconductors, clean tech—off a cliff.

From The New Yorker

This mode will be particularly interesting for devices like the Surface Pro 3 or Lenovo’s Yoga laptops that can be used in multiple ways, including pen-based input.

From The Verge