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5 totally free and under-the-radar ways to use NotebookLM — you’ll wish you tried them sooner
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I didn’t believe the hype about Google Mixboard — now I’m obsessed
Amanda Caswell
27 September 2025
It’s the ultimate hub for creative ideas
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(Image credit: Shutterstock)
Google just released Mixboard, a mood board meets Pinterest-style AI tool that’s already making waves, especially among creatives. At its core, Mixboard is an experimental tool from Google Labs built for creative visual ideation. The concept is very similar to mood board but the AI interaction allows your ideas to come to life, transforming them into prototypes, visuals and aesthetic directions you can actually see.
Powered by Nano Banana under the hood, Mixboard handles one of the trickiest parts of AI image generation, including on-image text with surprising accuracy. For me, this tool feels like it was made to scratch a creative itch. Something that can handle the dozens of ideas I have floating around in my head at any given time and turn them into tangible concepts. I’ve used it for everything from storyboarding to tackling my fall wardrobe, and honestly, I’m obsessed with seeing my ideas in new ways.
How Mixboard works
Start with a prompt or choose a template. You can begin a board from scratch using a text prompt (e.g. “cozy winter cabin with warm tones”) or pick from pre-populated board templates to jumpstart your vision.
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5 totally free and under-the-radar ways to use NotebookLM — you’ll wish you tried them sooner
Nano Banana just broke the internet with these viral trends — I tried these 5 prompts and I’m blown away
I used Google’s Nano Banana to transform my kids’ artwork — here are the 5 prompts that impressed me most
Image generation and upload support. You can upload your own reference images, or let the AI generate visuals from your prompt. The AI visuals can then be edited, combined or blended.
Natural language edits and iteration. Need edits on a particular image, just prompt details such as “blend these two styles” or “regenerate” or just about anything else until you get your ideas exactly how you want them.
Variants & “more like this.” Once a board is generated, you can ask for variations or “more like this” to spin off alternate versions of your concept.
Storyboarding
(Image credit: Future)
Before I became a journalist, I spent my days writing scripts for TV and even developed a treatment for a popular family movie. These days I still write the occasional script, but more often write self-published novels and substack posts. As someone who storyboards a lot, this is probably my favorite use for Google Mixboard.
I simply type in what I’m working on and Mixboard generates images that I can either accept or edit, regenerate or blend. In this example, I”m working out a storyboard for a script about a woman whose laptop gets mixed up with a govenrment agent. Having these visuals helps as I work through the script.
Wedding inspo
(Image credit: Future)
I’m celebrating my 12-year wedding anniversary this weekend, so I personally haven’t tried Mixboard to plan a wedding. But I can only image how useful Mixboard, combined with Gemini could be for organizing all the details.
From bridesmaids’ dresses to flowers and everything in between, keeping all that inspiration in one place to continuously add to before the big day, share with others and even treasure as a keepsake, seems like the ultimate wedding hack.
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Halloween party planning
(Image credit: Future)
My grade school-aged kids start thinking about Halloween the day after summer camp ends. They are constantly changing their costume ideas and plan Halloween parties that I haven’t even approved. Having Mixboard is a great way to plan for holidays, events and parties in a unique way that keeps everyone on the same page, er board.
Adding ideas in for snacks, games and decorations is easy. You can prompt AI image generations or just upload your own. Either way all the preparation is collected so nothing is forgotten.
Marathon motivation
(Image credit: Future)
I’ve been a competitve runner all my life and ran my first marathon at age 13. Yet, I still need motivation sometimes. Mixboard is the perfect place for me to keep a visual journal of my New York City Marathon training. I can prompt Mixboard to generate some motivating images and, because it can handle on-image text, I can even generate faux signs cheering me on.
I’ve enjoyed adding and blending images to make this encouraging board uniquely mind.
Fall wardrobe shopping
(Image credit: Future)
Move over sweatpants and hoodies, Mixboard is going to make me red carpet ready this falll. Okay, it’s AI, not a miracle machine. However, using Mixboard to come up with a few outfits for special occassionals or a refresh this fall has definitely given me a confidence boost.
Users can upload images of clothes they have in their closet or use as inspiration for the AI to generate into new wardrobe options.
Google Mixboard: Bottom line
Google’s Mixboard lowers the barrier for those of us lacking graphic design skills. It’s an AI tools that makes it easy to spark ideas with simple prompts and explore concepts in a fluid, middle-stage creative process. Its tight integration with Google’s Nano Banana gives it a strong foundation for image generation.
Remember, it’s still an early beta, so image generation might not always go as planned. Be sure to share your feedback (good or bad!) with Google. Having spoken with the Google research team, I know they take feedback from users very seriously.
One feature I hope they add is a public option, similar to Flow TV, that allows users to see what others have created. What have you created with Mixboard? Let me know in the comments.
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Amanda Caswell
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Amanda Caswell is an award-winning journalist, bestselling YA author, and one of today’s leading voices in AI and technology. A celebrated contributor to various news outlets, her sharp insights and relatable storytelling have earned her a loyal readership. Amanda’s work has been recognized with prestigious honors, including outstanding contribution to media.
Known for her ability to bring clarity to even the most complex topics, Amanda seamlessly blends innovation and creativity, inspiring readers to embrace the power of AI and emerging technologies. As a certified prompt engineer, she continues to push the boundaries of how humans and AI can work together.
Beyond her journalism career, Amanda is a bestselling author of science fiction books for young readers, where she channels her passion for storytelling into inspiring the next generation. A long-distance runner and mom of three, Amanda’s writing reflects her authenticity, natural curiosity, and heartfelt connection to everyday life — making her not just a journalist, but a trusted guide in the ever-evolving world of technology.
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5 totally free and under-the-radar ways to use NotebookLM — you’ll wish you tried them sooner
Nano Banana just broke the internet with these viral trends — I tried these 5 prompts and I’m blown away
I used Google’s Nano Banana to transform my kids’ artwork — here are the 5 prompts that impressed me most
These Are The Prompts I Used To Create An AI Cinematic Trailer With Google’s Veo 3
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