Bev, see edit above.

Try turning it off, and then holding down the eject button while powering it on: [link]

That would have been easy and fabulous, DX, but it's a PS 3. Thanks though. I'm going to look around on YT for more suggestions.

Tom, the fan did run very loud, but ultimately the disc still didn't eject. I'll check YT for more ideas, and I'll check here in case anybody has another suggestion.

Thanks for the YT tip--we found several vids, and will go through them until something works!

And...found a vid showing the specific "Speak friend and enter" for our machine. Cover's off, retrieval proceding. Thanks again for the YT reminder! (And no more inserting discs in the dark! This one went in upside down, sheesh.)

Anecdata: after following advice here, a vid was found on You Tube which told us exactly how to get the cover off our particular machine. A side jaunt to the local Radio Shack/Sprint store for a nifty 58-piece set of assorted size hex screwdrivers, pommel-spin screwdrivers, and other miniature arcane tools, in a handy carry case ("Oh, and by the way, Merry Christmas!" since I hadn't thought of the perfect gift yet), duly got the cover completely off and the machine open, to discover the blu-ray disc was not only not upside down, but...TA DAH! in the DVD player.

There's been a bit of facepalming and never-let-you-live-it-downing 'round these parts today. But hey! If disaster strikes again, we know how to crack the case, and we have a whole buncha tools!

We're looking to get my son a very cheap (sub-$200) laptop of his own. Opinions on Windows 10 vs Chrome OS?

He'll mostly be using it for homework (working on shared Google docs with classmates, and practicing typing), but he'll also be allowed to use the internet, chat with friends, have email, etc. Maybe Minecraft & other online games.

Sub $200, a Chromebook is going to be a better choice, in my opinion. I quite like Windows 10, but it requires somewhat heavier hardware to run smoothly. There are Windows 10 devices out there at that price point, but I'd bet they feel pokier than they would on Chrome OS for multi-tab web browsing. Plus Chrome OS is a little harder to break.

However, Minecraft does not run in a web browser, and is not supported on Chromebooks. Though now that chromebooks can install android apps, it might be possible to get the Pocket Edition of Minecraft on there, especially if you get one that has a touchscreen, but it doesn't appear to be officially supported and the mobile version is not feature-complete with the desktop version of Minecraft, though, if that will bother him. So if that is a deal-breaker, go for a Windows device.

I agree with Gris. Windows 10 would be better overall, but at that price point a Chromebook will work best. Technically, you probably could get Minecraft running with a little tech-fu (a Chromebook is a Linux computer at heart), but it would be complicated. Malware should be less of a concern on a Chromebook as well (I would say no concern, but since it can run android apps now I'm not quite as sure).

You could also look for a reconditioned Thinkpad at $200. They are good, tough laptops and since they are enterprise devices they get dumped into the used market in large numbers. My five and half year old Thinkpad Edge (the cheapest version) still runs great even though I've dropped it onto concrete.

I want to deactivate my twitter accounts because I am sick of dealing with twitter. There has to be a way. The instructions for deactivating twitter accounts does not work from a mobile device. So ... wait... I can sign up for twitter using an iPad, but I can't leave? This isn't Hotel California, there has to be a way.

Instructions says you can't do it on mobile. [link]