I would rather not show you specific examples and risk generalizing his work, but I don't want to drown your interest under perhaps too many choices, so I suppose I would point to his different advertisement pieces for Shiseido (interactive and print) as an introduction. (Search for images with the terms John Maeda Shiseido and crawl your way in.)
If anyone is really interested in his work (and if you do UI-related work dare I say, you probably want to be), I'd recommend the book "Maeda @ Media", it's a great guide through his earlyish work and process.
He's recognized more for his influence on tech and art rather than his name on a specific product. You might say that he was in the right place at the right time with the right interests.
The line has a sense of arrogance. Although it is true, it might not need the mention.
I agree. If anything, it's poorly worded. I think he's just observing what others think about him. And maybe his intention to make himself be seen as gifted.
What products has John Maeda designed that we can use or have used in the past?
Writing books is great, but its the practical application that really builds reputations.