I ignored this NotebookLM feature for too long — now I use it for everything

I ignored this NotebookLM feature for too long — now I use it for everything Credit: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf By  Brady Snyder Published May 30, 2026, 10:00 AM EDT Brady is a technology journalist for MakeUseOf with years of experience covering all things mobile, computing, and general tech. He has a focus on Android phones and audio gear, and holds a B.S. in Journalism from St. John's University. Brady has written for publications like Android Central, Android Authority, XDA, Android Police, iMore, and others. He has experience reporting on major events held by Google, Apple, and Samsung, as well as trade shows like Lenovo Innovation World and IFA. When he's not writing about and testing the latest gadgets, you'll find Brady watching Big East basketball and running. Sign in to your MakeUseOf account Add Us On follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap NotebookLM isn't just a tool for college students. It's a versatile AI app that you can use to process any information source in a different way. Supply NotebookLM with a pile of notes, and the app can turn them into flashcards. Give it an article, and NotebookLM can transform it into a podcast-style Audio Overview. The possibilities are endless, and I use NotebookLM even now that my college days are over. Start with a source or a collection of them, and the program will use Gemini models to analyze, summarize, or recreate those sources as you see fit. It's come a long way since it was a Google Labs research project, and you might've missed some of NotebookLM's best features. The biggest NotebookLM upgrade in my book is the way the study tool now handles finding sources. It supports a variety of file types, web links, and Google Drive content, and will even help you discover sources if you don't know where to start. You can use YouTube videos as a sour