I dropped my powershot sd1300 and the lens won't open. Any suggestions?

Try NOT connecting your camera to your computer.
The best way to download pictures from your camera to your computer involves removing the memory card from the camera and plugging it into a card reader (either built-in to the computer or connected via USB or FireWire). This is likely to be faster than connecting the camera to the computer, and won't run down your camera's batteries.
Once the card is plugged in, it will appear to your computer as a removable drive. You can use the operating system's drag&drop facility to copy pictures from the card to the computer's hard drive, the same way you copy any other files. Or you can use any photo cataloging program, such as Picasa.

Things to check first for a camera that won't turn on are battery contact points, and micro switches that are located on the battery and memory card doors. Troubleshooting tips on other things that need to be checked may be seen here. These tips won't work for every case, but they're worth a try.

Lens errors are fairly common. Usually it's sand or grit interfering with the lens extension mechanism. Or the camera's been dropped with the lens extended. Or the camera has been powered on, but the lens had been blocked preventing its extension. Or the battery ran down with the lens extended ... Here are some troubleshooting steps that you can try that may (or may not) correct it. They only seem to work for less than 40% of the lens errors, but if the camera is out of warranty (or repair cost approaches that of the camera), they're worth that try. Some of the later steps do involve some risk to the camera, so carefully weigh your options before deciding to conduct them:

Here are some troubleshooting steps that you can try that may (or may not) correct it. They only seem to work for less than 40% of the lens errors, but if the camera is out of warranty (or repair cost approaches that of the camera), they're worth that try. Some of the later steps do involve some risk to the camera, so carefully weigh your options before deciding to conduct them:

Lens errors are fairly common. Usually it's sand or grit interfering with the lens extension mechanism. Or the camera's been dropped with the lens extended. Or the camera has been powered on, but the lens had been blocked preventing its extension. Or the battery ran down with the lens extended ... Here are some troubleshooting steps that you can try that may (or may not) correct it. They only seem to work for less than 40% of the lens errors, but if the camera is out of warranty (or repair cost approaches that of the camera), they're worth that try. Some of the later steps do involve some risk to the camera, so carefully weigh your options before deciding to conduct them:

It looks like the autofocus system got damaged, take it to a service center for repairs.

Having gone over a month without a reply to my query, I assume my suggestion to use a card reader solved the problem.

Lens errors are fairly common. Usually it's sand or grit interfering with the lens extension mechanism. Or the camera's been dropped with the lens extended. Or the camera has been powered on, but the lens had been blocked preventing its extension. Or the battery ran down with the lens extended ... Here are some troubleshooting steps that you can try that may (or may not) correct it. They only seem to work for less than 40% of the lens errors, but if the camera is out of warranty (or repair cost approaches that of the camera), they're worth that try. Some of the later steps do involve some risk to the camera, so carefully weigh your options before deciding to conduct them:

I'm afraid that it's a new lens assembly or a professional repair. Unless the camera is still under warranty.
Same thing happened to my Panasonic Lumix. I completely stripped down the camera to see if I could find the offending bit of dust or dirt that everyone online says is the problem. No chance. I tried all the tricks, including banging the camera quite hard on my kitchen table (I was quite frustrated by that point!)
I've narrowed it down to a small motor that controls the lens and consequently the focus part. But you simply can't buy the parts. A professional repair quoted more than the camera was worth so I sold it on ebay for 'spares or repair' and bought a new one.
The 'lens error' problem plagues all of these compact zoom cameras, so unfortunately it's a very common fault and expensive to repair.
Sorry it's not good news.

That is a problem you will need to go to fix at a Canon store or local camera store. It shouldn't cost more than $20.