Gemini Notebook
AI research assistant in AI tools
Recommended for summarizing chapters and sources, turning readings into podcast-style audio, and generous free usage; critics say chats pollute shared context.
5 people recommended Gemini Notebook in Hacker News comments, 2 had mixed feelings and 4 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026.
Summary written by Claude from 14 comments. It was written before the November 2026 recount, and 11 of those comments still count.
11 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 5
- mixed feelings
- 2
- warn against or regret it
- 4
The record
Recommended in 4 of 12 months
In 5 different threads.
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: not recommended
- January 2026: recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: not recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: recommended
- October 2026: recommended
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 5 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, not met.
- 1.2 recommenders for every criticNeeds 2 to 1 or better, not met.
- Recommended in 4 of 12 monthsNeeds 4 or more, met.
- Recommended in 5 threadsNeeds 5 or more, met.
- The biggest thread supplies 20% of its recommendersNeeds half or less, met.
The same rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. Mixed feelings count toward neither side. How the badge works
What people say about it
Reasons grouped from a sample of 11 of the 11 opinions about it, picked in proportion to how many people recommend it, have mixed feelings and criticize it. Each mark is one comment in the sample. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Turns readings into podcast-style audio
“The “podcast” it created was pretty good but the “hosts” kept using the word exactly as a response to the other.”
Comment from 17 Aug 2026 in “Show HN: Saggar, a Mac terminal that keeps sessions and your attention organized” “Notebook literally podcasts the readings and what you need to learn”
Comment from 27 Sep 2026 in “How I changed teaching after AI managed to do all my homework assignments” Impressive even when imperfect
“Imperfect as it is it still blows my mind.”
Comment from 14 Jan 2026 on Hacker News “This approach saved me from the default treatment options and has prompted oncologists to consider others that might not have come to mind otherwise.”
Comment from 15 Oct 2026 in “Things to know when you get cancer”
What people warn about
Each mark is one comment
Fragmented, unreliable features
“They seem to have a lot of fragmented efforts that don't really add up to good enough.”
Comment from 17 Jul 2026 in “NotebookLM is now Gemini Notebook” “which did not work well as of a few days ago”
Comment from 16 Jul 2026 in “NotebookLM is now Gemini Notebook” Chats mix into shared context
“when using the notebook feature in Gemini, where every chat becomes part of the context”
Comment from 21 Sep 2026 in “ChatGPT now knows what you do on other websites via ad collector”
What people recommend instead
The same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Mixed | Criticize | Approval | Months | Had for | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NotebookLM | 78 | 21 | 34 | 70% | 12 | — | Approved |
| Gemini NotebookThis page | 5 | 2 | 4 | 56% | 4 | — | — |
What people said
All 11 opinions about it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“I like using Gemini Notebooks, but this is one of my current frustrations.”
“This approach saved me from the default treatment options and has prompted oncologists to consider others that might not have come to mind otherwise.”
“Notebook literally podcasts the readings and what you need to learn”
“when using the notebook feature in Gemini, where every chat becomes part of the context”
“Gemini notebook (notebook.google) works well and has Google's usual very high free usage limits”
“The “podcast” it created was pretty good but the “hosts” kept using the word exactly as a response to the other.”
“They seem to have a lot of fragmented efforts that don't really add up to good enough.”
“which did not work well as of a few days ago”
“It ALWAYS starts with a name change, then more useless features, more ensh*ttification, then users flee, then the product is killed.”
“Gemini Notebook is a way better name for the masses.”
“Imperfect as it is it still blows my mind.”
Counts come from 1,791,911 Hacker News comments labeled by Claude, November 2025 to October 2026, with data through October 31, 2026. Counts updated 2 Nov 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.