New to Android - help with some basic functions

[Heavy Fluid]

I am fairly new to the Android OS, although I have used some older devices, this is the first time that I am using Android as my only phone.

I have a white 16gb Galaxy SIII on Verizon which has Touchwiz. It is not rooted. I am having issues with what I feel are basic function controls.

1. Phone > Favorites. Every time I email a contact, or place or receive a call from a contact, they are added to this screen. Not as a favorite, but like as a recent contact. I cannot figure out a way to disable this. I do not want them added to this screen.

2. Gmail app. I love this app and everything that it does. I cannot figure out how to disable the preview in the notification bar when I get a new email. It will show the Gmail symbol, and the name of who sent the email. I would like to disable this. It is fine if it shows the symbol, and says new email. I just do not want the senders information to show. I love showing the screen off and the great pictures on the camera, however, I do not want everyone to see who I get email from. I managed to get SMS to just show new message. I would like to do the same with Gmail. If I cannot do this, I will be forced to use the default mail app and hope that I can disable it there.

3. Wallpaper. If I set a wallpaper/lockscreen as the same image, when I unlock the phone, the image is slightly off, almost like it is slightly zoomed in. It then appears to change once the screen switches. If I use a live wallpaper, this does not happen. Sounds pretty OCD, but it kind of annoying. Any way to fix this?

4. Notification pull down. Is there anyway to control what toggles are shown at the top of the notification pull down? I have not found a way to manage these yet.

Thank you for any hep with this stuff. Love the phone so far, just dealing with some minor annoyances.

 

[chagla]

favorites -> you can right click and clear the list. thats one option. the list gets updated depending on the call list. they don't get added to your contact list. if it bothers you, you can try a different dialer app from the play store. "Go dialer ex" is very good dialer/contact manager. there are plenty others that do not have the favorite tab. i think its samsung phone app specific tab.

gmail notification > i only get the gmail icon. however you can check the gmail settings.

 

[Southernboyj]

3. I have never personally experienced this, unless it's some sort of animation.

4. On your Galaxy S3, you can't customize the toggles *yet*.
I say yet because on the Android 4.2.2 version that the S4 is running, you can. There is a decent chance your phone will get that update.

 

[Heavy Fluid]

gmail notification > i only get the gmail icon. however you can check the gmail settings.

I have checked every possible setting within the Gmail app, and I cannot get only the icon to show. When the email comes in, it shows the senders name. I tested this myself by sending an email from another account. It does not stay like this, just for about 3-4 seconds, then only the icon shows. Regardless, I do not want a preview to show at all.

 

[Heavy Fluid]

#2 - temporarily fixed. Downloaded K9. I have used that before in the past. There is a global setting that will allow me to turn the preview of the email/sender off. It just shows an envelope and says new email. That will work for now.