I have a confession to make. I'm a note-taking nerd. I've tried probably every note-taking app there is — Notion, Obsidian, Bear, Apple Notes, physical notebooks in ten different formats. Every time I think I've found the system. Every time I find something that creaks.

So when TechRadar highlighted Google's NotebookLM as a tool for organizing your entire life, I read it with a mix of recognition and skepticism. And then I gave it a proper try.

What is NotebookLM?

NotebookLM is Google's AI-powered note-taking and research tool. But that description does it a disservice. It's not really a note-taking tool in the traditional sense — it's a tool for understanding and working with information you already have.

You upload documents, notes, articles, PDFs. Then you can ask questions about them, ask for summaries, ask the tool to find connections you missed, generate study guides, create FAQs. It acts as a conversation partner who has actually read everything you've entered.

It's a distinction that matters. It doesn't generate information — it helps you understand information you've chosen to trust.

How I tested it for Amaelle

I’ve uploaded pattern descriptions, material documents, pricing strategies, branding documents, post ideas — everything related to Amaelle. And then tried asking questions like “what are the most important differences between the Viola Standard and Viola Grande in the construction process?” or “are there any inconsistencies in how I describe the material list?”.

It's amazing how well it finds things I've missed. Not because it's smarter than me — but because it doesn't get tired and doesn't skip details when it's late at night and you want to get done.

It has found three inconsistencies in my pattern descriptions that I hadn't seen despite reading them dozens of times. Not dramatic errors, but exactly the kind of thing that shows up as a question in the comments section on Sewhack.

Google Keep and why it's still alive

The article also mentioned that Google Keep — the simple, colorful note-taking tool that's been around since 2013 — could be enhanced with AI features. It's an interesting choice by Google, as Keep is one of the most underrated tools in their ecosystem.

Keep is fast. Simple. Syncs seamlessly. And if they manage to add AI features on top of it without destroying the simplicity — then it could actually become a genuine alternative for those who don't want the complexity of NotebookLM.

But they're for different things. Keep is for the fleeting thought — capture it now, sort it later. NotebookLM is for the structured work — understand what you already know.

The external brain — why this concept is important

There's a concept in productivity research called the "extended mind." The idea is that we don't think just with our brains, but with everything around us. The paper we write on. The tools we use. The systems we create.

NotebookLM is the most elaborate digital version of that concept I've tested. It's not an assistant that thinks for you. It's a tool that thinks with you.

The difference is enormous.

What it can't do

I'll be honest: NotebookLM isn't perfect. It depends on what you input — crap in, crap out, as always. It can't compensate for poor structure in your documents. It's quite verbose at times when you want it to be more creative.

And there's something a little unsettling about becoming overly dependent on a tool owned by Google and living in their cloud services. Data sovereignty is a question that doesn't have a simple answer.

But for me, right now, in the phase Amaelle is in — with lots of documents, patterns, texts and ideas that need to be connected — it's the best tool I've found.

Have you tried NotebookLM, or any similar tool to keep your projects and thoughts organized?