I've found two things have happen now that I use a Maxx with Active Notifications. One, I'm not annoyed by an LED anymore. I hate the LED. It bothers me. I'd check my phone just so I could make it stop. Even if the color of the LED indicated it was something I didn't care about, I'd check it. With Active Notifications, I can glance at the icons and I know that I don't have to mess with it if it is an email address or app I don't care about. And letting it continue to breath doesn't bother me one bit. It is not bright and annoying like the LED was on previous phones. If it is a text, email address or an app that matters, I know to check it right away. I have 3 different email addresses on my phone, and I use a different app for each one. Sounds complicated, but each one serves a purpose, and only 1 needs to be checked right away. The other two can wait. The real point is, I don't pick my phone up as often as I used to for alerts that don't matter, and yes, I still want the alerts.
Next, and this was unexpected, I rarely need the power button. As soon as I pull the phone out of my pocket, or pick it up the screen breaths and I can unlock the phone. That is really great. No fumbling for a button, or knocking on the phone like the G2 will want you to do. Pick it up, swipe the lock icon. I really, really love that feature.
Personally, I wish it would breath whether there is a notification or not. I still wear a watch, and use it as my primary timepiece, but a breathing phone might make me switch. The battery has already proven to be more than sufficient for my daily needs. I'm over 13 hours off my charger and still above 50%. I was very interested in this feature when I got the phone, and now I feel like I will not accept another phone with an LED notification ever again.