Systems and methods for delayed function activation in a responsive environment are described. A responsive environment includes an intermediary system and notification manager to determine when a responsive environment will launch an application triggered by a sensed event. The environment includes sensor components and transparent software components that reside wholly within the environment for providing responsiveness. The environment also includes interactive software components that give users the means to provide input and/or experience output. Since changes to the interaction components may disrupt the user by requiring the user's attention when it is not convenient, the system helps the user manage the responsive environment by using an application/function delay technique. The environment uses an intelligence and notification mechanism to determine what might be useful and primes the apparatus to provide that functionality. However, the user actually initiates the execution of that function.