Abstract: A keyboard system for generating emoticons and abbreviations, the system includes a keyboard including keys representing emoticons and keys representing abbreviations. The system further includes a keyboard processor in the keyboard, wherein the keyboard processor produces enhanced scan codes when keys representing emoticons and keys representing abbreviations are pressed in the keyboard. The system further includes a keyboard driver on a computer system for interfacing with the keyboard, wherein the keyboard driver receives the enhanced scan codes and determines the emoticons or abbreviations corresponding to the enhanced scan codes. Lastly, the system includes an application, such as an instant messaging application, a word processor or an email application, on the computer system for interfacing with the keyboard driver. The application receives the emoticons or abbreviations determined by the keyboard driver and displays an image corresponding to the emoticons or abbreviations.