Google Notebook LM Tutorial - [Become A Power User in 15 min]


Overview: What is NotebookLM?

NotebookLM is a free Google tool designed to help users analyze, synthesize, and learn from large collections of source material. Unlike general chat tools, NotebookLM is source-grounded: it works only from the documents, links, audio, or text you upload. The creator highlights its ability to turn dense material—such as PDFs, reports, or transcripts—into summaries, study tools, and even AI-generated podcasts, making it especially useful for business, education, investing, and personal learning.

The 13 Things You Should Be Doing with NotebookLM

13. Upload multiple sources

NotebookLM excels at working across many documents at once (up to 50 sources). It supports PDFs, website links, videos, copied text, Google Docs, slides, markdown files, and even audio (e.g., MP3 audiobooks, which it transcribes automatically).

12. Ask highly specific questions across sources

You can ask targeted questions about your uploaded materials. NotebookLM cites exactly which source and where the answer came from—making it far more powerful than Ctrl+F when searching large or unfamiliar documents.

11. Generate AI podcasts from your sources

NotebookLM can turn uploaded materials into a natural-sounding AI podcast. This is useful for learning during commutes, especially for long or technical content like earnings reports or research papers.

10. Customize podcasts around a single question or theme

Rather than a generic summary, you can instruct the podcast to focus on one guiding question or topic, producing a more coherent and relevant listening experience.

9. Customize podcasts for different audiences or perspectives

You can tailor podcasts by audience or level—for example, asking for an expert-level discussion, a beginner explanation, or even a child-friendly overview.

8. Analyze presentations, meetings, or calls

By uploading slides plus audio recordings, NotebookLM can analyze language patterns, messaging consistency, and themes. This is especially valuable for sales calls, training sessions, or leadership presentations.

7. Create study guides automatically

With one click, NotebookLM generates study guides with questions and answers based entirely on your sources—ideal for exam prep, textbooks, or lecture materials.

6. Generate timelines

NotebookLM can create timelines from historical texts, biographies, or complex projects, organizing events chronologically to improve comprehension.

5. Create briefing documents

You can generate concise briefing docs for onboarding employees, summarizing projects for leadership, or condensing large knowledge bases into actionable overviews.

4. Add and manage multiple notes

NotebookLM lets you create, save, rename, and organize notes derived from conversations, summaries, or generated outputs—all within the same notebook.

3. Combine and analyze multiple notes

You can select multiple notes and merge, summarize, outline, or generate related ideas, enabling layered thinking without losing context.

2. Analyze complex code

NotebookLM can ingest and analyze codebases, helping summarize functionality, explain logic, and add documentation—useful for technical teams or project reviews.

1. Use AI podcasts for reflection and decision-making

Some users upload journal entries or personal reflections and generate podcasts to hear their own thoughts reframed. The tool does not make decisions for you but helps re-present information in ways that support insight, learning, and clarity.

Updates & Cautions Mentioned in the Video

  • Interface update: Podcast controls have moved to a side panel.

  • Upcoming feature: Users will soon be able to interact live with AI podcasts—asking questions and redirecting the discussion.

  • Caution: Google sometimes discontinues tools. The creator advises downloading and backing up important content rather than relying on NotebookLM as permanent storage.

Bottom Line

NotebookLM is positioned as a powerful sense-making tool, not a creative AI. Its strength lies in reorganizing, summarizing, and presenting your own information—helping you learn faster, think more clearly, and make better-informed decisions across work, education, and personal life.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Life of Pi (2012)

I've read Life of Pi so I persuaded my wife to go see the movie with me. I wasn't disappointed. And she enjoyed it. It is one of those movies that went quickly to the cheap theaters but it will come back if it gets an Academy Award Nomination. The movie story was close to the book although it left out one major part where the tiger saves Pi from the cook. That was a good part to leave out. If it was shown the way it was described in the book, it would have definitely made the movie R rated. I won't tell you much more. You need to enjoy discovering the story again through the movie. Most of the actors were unknown to me. However, I enjoyed seeing Gerard Depardieu who played a cameo role as the cook.
Read more

The Story of Silent Night

Image
The Story of Silent Night  BYUtv's original holiday movie, Silent Night, is receiving a lot of positive reviews from viewers. The film tells the true story  of a young priest, Joseph Mohr, who upsets the upper class in his new village by inviting poor, uneducated people to church. Mohr stays true to his convictions, and goes on to write the world's most famous Christmas carol. Beautifully filmed on location in Austria, Silent Night is the perfect new movie for your family this holiday season. You can watch Silent Night online by  clicking here .
Read more

Cicely Tyson: Her Legacy and Influence

Image
Cicely Tyson: A Life of Legacy and Influence Cicely Tyson (1924–2021) was an award-winning actress renowned for her groundbreaking roles in film, television, and theater. Born to West Indian parents in Harlem, New York, she overcame early struggles, including becoming a single mother at 17, to build a celebrated career. Tyson made her on-screen debut in Carib Gold (1956) and gained prominence with roles in Sounder (1972), The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974), and Roots (1977). Known for her commitment to portraying strong Black women with dignity, she became an icon in the entertainment industry. She won three Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and an honorary Academy Award. Her memoir, Just as I Am (2021), released just days before her passing at age 96, reflects on her career, personal challenges, and love life, including her complex relationship with jazz legend Miles Davis. Tyson’s enduring impact extends beyond acting, as she used her platform to challenge racial stereotype...
Read more