newbie question!!

[carleton]

at the very top of my new galaxy note 2 home screen there are 5 little black and white "play store" icons just to the left of the signal strenght meter icon. What do these mean and how do I get rid of them??

 

[Jumper2501]

These usually signify the apps recently downloaded or upgraded. Pull down the notifications tab and you'll see a line dedicated to each.