TL;DR
A writer replaced traditional note apps with NotebookLM and found it transformed how notes are used, shifting from storage to active sense‑making. The app pulls in sources, builds links and mind‑map views, and can summarize or answer questions across documents.
What happened
The author, who had used a wide range of note apps over the years, moved away from conventional tools to NotebookLM and described the shift as a change from collecting information to working with it. He notes common limitations in mainstream apps: Google Keep is fast but basic, Notion is powerful yet heavy, and Obsidian demands ongoing maintenance. The central shortcoming across tools, he argues, is that captured notes often pile up without connections. NotebookLM differs by letting the user add sources (articles, links, PDFs, copied emails) as the foundation of a notebook, then generating interconnections, summaries, and mind‑map–style views. The author says the tool encourages clustering ideas, reduces duplicated entries, and helps preserve context so topics can be revisited later. He adds that NotebookLM is simple to start with but is intended for deeper, research‑oriented note work rather than quick lists.
Why it matters
- Moves note‑taking toward active sense‑making instead of passive storage.
- Built‑in linking and mind‑map views help reveal relationships across materials.
- Can save time on organizing research by summarizing and connecting multiple sources.
- May change workflows for writing and learning by preserving context and reducing duplication.
Key facts
- The author used many popular note apps before switching, including Google Keep, Notion, and Obsidian.
- Google Keep is described as fast and basic; Notion as feature‑rich but heavy; Obsidian as requiring maintenance.
- NotebookLM treats uploaded materials (articles, links, PDFs, emails) as sources that form the basis of a notebook.
- The app can generate summaries from multiple documents, answer questions about the collection, and produce mind‑map‑style visualizations.
- NotebookLM encourages creating clusters of related ideas and linking notes to one another.
- The author says NotebookLM reduces duplication common in conventional note systems.
- The tool is easy to start using but is positioned for deeper research and writing tasks rather than simple lists like groceries.
- The writer reports greater trust in returning to notebooks later because context and connections are retained.
What to watch next
- How users adopt NotebookLM for different workflows such as research, writing, and learning.
- Whether NotebookLM’s approach influences how other note apps implement linking and visual mapping.
- not confirmed in the source: specifics about pricing, data handling, and platform availability for NotebookLM.
- not confirmed in the source: how the tool performs with very large collections or proprietary/secure documents.
Quick glossary
- NotebookLM: An AI‑assisted notebook interface that organizes user‑provided sources and helps surface connections, summaries, and visual structures.
- Mind map: A visual diagram that displays concepts (nodes) and their relationships to show how ideas connect around a central topic.
- Source (in notes): Original material added to a notebook such as articles, PDFs, links, or copied text that serve as the basis for organization and summarization.
- Duplication (in note systems): Repeated or overlapping entries that occur when the same information is captured in multiple places without clear links.
Reader FAQ
Is NotebookLM just another notes app?
According to the author, it functions more as a thinking tool than a traditional note‑taking app.
What kinds of materials can you add to a NotebookLM notebook?
The author says you can add articles, links, PDFs, research, and copied emails as sources.
Is NotebookLM good for quick lists like groceries?
No — the author suggests simpler apps like Google Keep are better for basic lists.
Does the article provide details about pricing or data privacy?
not confirmed in the source
I replaced my notes app with NotebookLM, and it's brilliant Credit: Lucas Gouveia / Android Police By Dhruv Bhutani Published 34 minutes ago Dhruv Bhutani has been writing about consumer technology…
Sources
- This AI powered notes app is a gamechanger
- I Used Google's NotebookLM for 2 Years and It Changed the …
- The AI Know-It-All: Why NotebookLM Is the Best Tool for …
- Why Google's NotebookLM is the perfect research and …
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