NotebookLM is often misunderstood as a note-taking tool, but its true purpose goes beyond just jotting down notes. At its core, it’s a research assistant that helps you understand and build on existing information. Unlike traditional note-taking apps, which have dedicated spaces for capturing thoughts and organizing ideas, NotebookLM waits for you to bring in compiled material before providing insights.
When used properly, NotebookLM can create engaging podcast summaries, short explanatory videos, mind maps, or organized reports from your uploaded sources. However, it’s essential to remember that these outputs come after gathering information elsewhere, not within the app itself. Additionally, NotebookLM lacks an organization system, with no tagging, sorting, or linking features across notebooks.
If you still want to use NotebookLM for notes, be aware that you’ll need to manually create notebooks and organize content yourself. This can become messy quickly, especially if you have multiple projects or sources to keep track of. For some users, like the author, it’s better to pair NotebookLM with a traditional note-taking app like Notion, Evernote, or Apple Notes, as they offer more robust organization features.
Source: https://www.xda-developers.com/please-stop-using-notebooklm-as-a-note-taking-app