I'm not familiar with MacBooks, but I know that on most PCs there is a small hole under the CD-Rom that is just big enough for a paperclip. You unfold a paperclip and carefully stick it in the whole and out pops the cd/cd tray.

Also: "If your computer has an eject button on the keyboard, restart the computer holding down the Option key. When the startup disk selection screen appears, let go of the option key and press the keyboard's eject button."

You can also try "If that doesn't work, restart the computer, then hold down the mouse button or trackpad button while the computer is starting up, until the disc is ejected. To restart, choose Restart from the Apple menu."

Some have reported success by turning their MacBook upside down when hitting eject because the mechanism that releases the CD would not release the CD when right-side up.

Laurie:
I will assume the CD is a commercial CD that has no loose labels that are preventing the Ejection. So, if you have a loose stickem CD label, that could be your problem.

If the CD drawer makes an open attempt , then you have a stuck label.
If there is no open attempt from the CD drawer, then run a PLAY MY DVD program .
They all have an eject click.
Or Run Nero or Roxio or any BURN Cd program. They all have an eject button --click it.
Finally, you can shut down the computer, Start it up and wait 5 seconds, then PRESS THE CD ROM EJECT BUTTON ON YOUR CD PLAYER.

Hi Laurie,
I had a similar problem recently with my MacBook. My MacBook does not have a hole to poke in a paper clip, andrestarting and holding the mouse key down didn't work either. Nothing else I tried worked, so my tech-genius son gave me this tip:
-click on the magnifying glass in the top right corner of the screen
-type in the word: Terminal
-scroll down and click on the Terminal icon in that menu window
-type in: drutil tray eject (don't erase the other stuff)
-press the return key and your disc should come out
I hope this helps. It worked for me!

Hi Laurie,
The simplest solution would be to make an appointment at your local Apple Store. Their technical support is called the "Genius Bar" and appointments are free. If there is a repair that needs to be made, they quote it in advance. Just remember that you do need an appointment in advance. Walk-ins usually have to wait a while.

Earl,
You probably will be able to use Google Voice Search. It allows you to do commands on your Android phone as well. http://www.google.com/insidesearch/features/voicesearch/index-chrome.html

However, you will probably need to set up a bluetooth headset to be able to initiate commands on the phone (as it currently requires you hit a button to start speaking).
Let me know if I can help more.

unfortunately there is not an entirely hands free phone available on the market right now. Like you noted there is a market for one though.

Mark, the best off the shelf place to buy local is Costco. They have a 90 day return policy on laptops and 2 year warranty/concierge service. They also have introduced the best extended warranty on the market for the price. Full disclosure, my wife works at Costco, but she sought employment there because of the their employee and customer business practices.

I also think you can feel pretty confident they will be in business next year, which isn't necessarily the case with some of the other local retailers.

I really love shopping at MicroCenter in Brentwood. Their staff is very knowledgeable and can steer you the right way.

Mark, The only place locally that might have a good video editing machine is Micro Center. You won't find anything specifically designed for video editing at a big box retailer.

If you are looking for a serious high-end video editing PC you'll need to look at workstations. Companies like GraVT specialize in photo and video editing PCs - http://www.gravt.com/

Good Luck!

As someone who is a professional videographer, save yourself some money and upgrade the components in your current PC to match the memory needs of your video editing software (might be helpful if you listed that and what format(s) you wish to edit). Depending on your current PC, you could add a new hard drive, upgrade your RAM. A new PC is not always the solution especially for what you want to do.

Mark:
If you already have a PC running XP or above, You Don't necessarily need a new PC just for Video editing.
You should be looking for "video editing SOFTWARE."
Google video editing software and try any of those coming up ,(Most have free trials)
Find one you like. If it works on your current PC , then decide if you really need a new PC.
At that point , any HP PC should suffice. Any off-shelf computer store would accommodate your needs. If you are a member of Costco, then go there.
If you really want a good price, "TIGER DIRECT" on internet is my computer store of choice. I have used them for 8 years without fault.

Almost all laptops on the market today far surpass the use of most end-users. While for awhile AMD was keeping pace with Intel, Intel has far surpassed AMD in recent years. If you want quality performance, then stick with an Intel processor.

The biggest bottle-neck in a laptop is the 5400rpm hard drive. If you want performance, look for a 7200 rpm hard drive. These are the hardest to find good prices on and the hardest to find period.

If battery life is important to you, then obviously that is something to consider.

You can buy 2-3 laptops for the same price as a Macbook, but if you like the status and style that comes with Apple, then you only have that option. :)

I wouldn't purchase a laptop with less than 750GB hard drive, 8GB of memory, and Intel i5 processor.

If you want specific comparisons, let me know and I will give my opinion. I will tell you that while I say all of this, every laptop in my house is at least 5 years old and still has Windows XP. This works for 90+% of what I do. If I do anything that requires extra performance, like video or graphic design, I use my PC downstairs with Windows 7 and a Quad-Core processor. That's why I say just about anything on the market today will fit the vast majority of your needs.

If you are a gamer or video editor, then you obviously want to consider performance. If that's the case, let me know.

John, Are you looking for a Mac or PC laptop? Then are you looking for something highly mobile or is this a desktop replacement?

Can't really give any advice unless you know which main type you are looking for.

John - don't buy the "Intel is so much better than AMD." For the High-Tech Harry's of the PC world, it's true. For the Mid-Tech Mary's and Low-Tech Larry's, the average user, you will get great quality for what you need. I'm a High-Tech Harry and I use AMD and have zero problems, edit tons of HD video, with less than 8gb of RAM and have zero problems doing it.

John, First and foremost, you need to decide what you will use the machine for.

Computers are just like cars. You can get anything from a Yugo to Bigfoot, they both have four wheels and an engine but no one would use the Yugo to jump a line of cars and conversely no one would use Bigfoot if they worried about mileage. Make a list of the top five things you know you'll be doing with the machine, then find a machine which fits those needs.

Again, just like autos, there are vast differences in performance, durability and quality. A 'consumer' PC like the Best Buy, Costco, Walmart models are treated like consumer electronics and made for a 18 month to 2yr life. After that, the manufacturer figures you'll toss it and buy a new one. Business and professional models, which you get from corporate resellers or value-added dealers (like us) are made with a 40-hr work week and 3-4 year life, since that is how businesses depreciate their expenses. Furthermore, workstations and industrial models cost far more but are built for 24/7/365 duty.

Again, decide what tasks you want the machine to perform and go from there.

I would have to disagree with Mr. Frank. We use to carry both AMD and Intel based units but I wouldn't put an AMD on my floor anymore. For some reason, even commercially built AMD based units tend to have heat problems. In notebooks, when the fan goes, so does the processor within seconds and the machine is not worth fixing. I used to have a couple AMDs of my own decades ago, but wouldn't recommend one in this day and age.

Joe, I said I wouldn't buy an AMD processor. :)

The question is really too big for me to even get started, not knowing what you need. I would just say this -- the growth and excitement in the tech world is around tablets. They may be able to do what you need. Check out the new tablets running Windows 8. They are the best positioned to give you a good tablet experience while also giving you all the power and flexibility of Windows. The upcoming Surface Pro looks like it will be a phenomenal tablet while still retaining the main thing that laptops offer above tablets -- a full operating system (Windows 8), the full Office suite, and a good keyboard.

You want good graphics processing in your laptop? AMD beats Intel.

Tamara, if I were to buy a tablet right now, you can't go wrong with the Nexus 7 or the Galaxy Tab 2, or even the Amazon Fire. They both have their pluses and minuses. If you want 3G or 4G wireless you have to go with the Galaxy. If you are fine with standard wireless, available in most homes and coffee shops, etc., then all will suffice.

The Nexus 7 has the better screen and better overall performance, but the Galaxy Tab 2 has some bells and whistles like autofocus and a rear camera. In the end, it's going to come down to what you think your daughter will use it for the most. For pure media consumption, then Nexus 7 wins hands down. For creativity, you may want to consider the Galaxy Tab 2.

If you want a 10" screen then you pay a premium and the game changes a bit. There is also the status symbol of having an iPad over anything Android or Microsoft based. So, if you want style and status, then iPad is your only option, but you'll pay a premium.

Here is the best place to compare tablets to best fit your needs: http://tablets.techcrunch.com/

Tamara,
I am really fond of the Nexus 7 or Kindle Fire HD. Both are in the $200-$250 price range and a 7in size (which is good for holding one handed).
My preference for most people would be the Kindle, but it does keep you in the Amazon environment.
Both only allow you to connect when in the presence of WiFi (at home, Starbucks, Bread Co). But there are versions that use the cellular networks due out any day.
Hope that helps.

I love my Nexus 7. I've only had it a couple of months and I'm addicted. So much fun for consuming all kinds of media.

One vital point not yet mentioned is that a few of the big competitors are backed by big online stores that provide most of the value.

The Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 are the two that look the best to me, and what I would buy if I were buying today. They are backed by the Google Play store, which means lots of applications, most of them inexpensive, but not much in the way of books. This can be mitigated by getting the Kindle app, which opens up the books from Amazon, the best and most affordable e-bookstore online, in my opinion. The Nexus devices are also very flexible and customizable, and are constantly getting new features - perfect if your daughter is tech-savvy.

The iPad is a similar situation. The iBook store has a lot of books, but they are pricey, and still no where near as many as Amazon, or with as many exclusive tittles, since Amazon has a massive direct e-publishing business. But, again, the Kindle app will help. ITunes has the biggest selection of apps, but, like everything else at Apple, you will pay a higher price and be very limited in what you can do outside of their ecosystem. If your daughter is doing well financially, and is not technologically savvy, the iPad is a perfect choice.

The Kindle Fire tablets give you the best reading experience among the tablets, in my opinion, and access by default to the Amazon store, including things like borrowing from a large library of free books. However, the app store is strong but second tier.

Part 2 (due to character limitations): If your daughter really wants to just read books, the eInk, black-and-white ereaders are much lighter, more book-like, and easier on the eyes, not to mention cheaper. The actual reading experience is much better on these simple devices. What you loose is the vast app ecosystem -- no Angry Birds -- and other computer-like functions. Amazon has a slew of them that all rate very well. Among them, I'd be inclined toward the Paperwhite for its built-in reading light. However, the Nook is just as good, with the also sizable (though not as impressive as Amazon) Barnes and Noble ebook store behind it. There are other options, like the Kobo, that offer a lot of flexibility instead of a massive online store, so that you can use what you buy elsewhere, just transferring it over.

There are also lots of really, really cheap tablets and eink devices out there. I would avoid them. Most of them are little bundles of frustration.

Whichever ereader or tablet you get, make sure it is compatible with the Overdrive system, so your daughter can borrow lots of books for free from her local library. You can find a list of compatible devices (tons of them, including all I've mentioned) from our Overdrive page at overdrive.mlcstl.org -- look on the help pages for a list of compatible devices.

I could rattle on for hours on this, since dealing with these devices is what I do as a librarian. Stop by the Richmond Heights Library if you want more.

Kalen, I purchased the Motorola Atrix HD 4G LTE from Costco for only $29 and feel like it was a steal. The front and rear facing cameras are both fantastic and the speed keeps up with my multi-tasking needs.

I've dropped it several times and it hasn't even scratched. The camera is HD with 8 megapixels and 1080p video recording. The screen is 4.5" and overall, the phone is lightweight. The touchscreen is very responsive and the video playback is top-notch.

I've never been happier with a phone and I have shopped them and compared them for years. There may be new models now with even better features, but with what this phone offers for the price, I would still purchase it today compared to everything else available.

http://www.motorola.com/us/consumers/MOTOROLA-ATRIX-HD/MB886-ATRIX-HD,en_US,pd.html

The best phone available on the Market is the Samsung Galaxy S3, but you will pay for it. At that point, it comes down to budget. Here is a list of 20 best phones on the market right now, and notice how my phone isn't even on the list:

http://www.techradar.com/us/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/20-best-mobile-phones-in-the-world-today-645440/1#articleContent

I should add the Samsung Galaxy S3 is much cheaper than the iPhone and that service matters. T-Mobile is way behind the other carriers in coverage and network technology. ATT and Verizon both have excellent coverage and I've been happy with both.

I just purchased a Galaxy S3 for myself and my wife, and love them.

Your question should first be, what service provider you are going with (ATT, Sprint, Verizion, prepay). That will partially determine what phones you can get.

Kalen, I'm not sure what carrier you have, but check out the Samsung Galaxy S III and the LG Optimus G as both are terrific Android smartphones that many actually prefer over the iPhone 5 in terms of features, cost and performance.

I have Sprint

If you want something as smooth, intuitive, and quick as the iPhone, look for an Android phone that runs the latest version, called Jelly Bean. They made huge improvements in in speed and fluidity, and introduced a lot of impressive features like paying for things with your phone (in some models) and phenomenal maps. If you get any Nexus phone (like the most recent Nexus 4), you can also be sure that, as Google improves the operating system, you will get those improvements right away. With other phones, when you get the improvements depends on when the carrier wants to give them to you.

Here is everything you ever wanted to know about the five best phones available in 2012. 5 Pages long:

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012/12/the-state-of-the-smartphone/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+arstechnica%2Findex+%28Ars+Technica+-+All+content%29

Sheri, see my response above to Tamara on the tablets.

Sheri,
I would probably lean toward the Nexus 7, as it will support the Google Voice search functions (see my comment to Earl). There is also a 10 inch version available.
Both sizes can be found at https://play.google.com/store/devices or at MicroCenter in Brentwood.

If the Nexus 7 is still too small, there's also the Nexus 10 or the iPad or the Galaxy 10, all with 10 inch screens. Keep in mind that handling something too big might also be problematic, depending on his motor skills. The 7 inch size is probably what you want to look for. Since he is used to the Apple ecosystem, look also at the new iPad Mini.

Of all those, I would also recommend the Nexus 7, for most band for the buck while still being in the right size category.

iTunes does not allow for copying files in that manner for copyright reasons (you are supposed to deauthorize one machine, authorize the other (or whatever verbage Apple uses). However, you can 'trick it' by copying over the entire folder tree, not just the songs, then setting the file location in preferences to match where you put them. The reason you see the list, is that the index is there but the song file location is wrong.

I do hope you backed up all your data before attempting the W8 upgrade. Most ,likely, you have some application loaded which is not W8 compatible. Probably an anti-virus or security program that you did not remove prior to the upgrade attempt. This will probably require wiping and restoring the machine to factory condition, then running the upgrade again before you load your applications and data, unfortunately. You may want to bring this to a professional, especially if you have data you need off of it.

I suspect you aren't getting responses because what you described sounds like a really serious problem, fundamental failure of the operating system. My first impulse is to think you will have to reinstall Windows 8, so get that validation key ready, but I really don't know. You may need more expert help than I can give over the internet. The good news is, if you do have to reinstall W8, they make it phenomenally easy and quick, and in most cases can do so without losing any of your data. Still, back up first, just in case.

I'm thinking you need to re-run the Windows 8 install CD.

Nancy, If you like the Windows you are familiar with, stay away from W8. It is a 'new world' and takes a fair amount of time to get up to speed on. You'll need to verify that all the programs you have and want to use work in W8.
If you like 'new' things and have spare time, W8 might be fun for you.
Again, like my other W8 comment, be sure to back up all your data before attempting the upgrade. There is no going back, except a complete wipe and restore.

Glad you got it working, Kathleen, Enjoy!

Chris, what internet browser program are you using? Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.?

Chris, to get to the bottom of this quickly, you should bring this into a repair shop who can connect it to their network and find out if it is the machine, or your home network. Without being able to eliminate one or the other, you'll be wasting a lot of time on this one. Especially if it is a wireless network.