# Newsletter #5

Published: 2025-12-12T00:00:00.000Z
Canonical: https://wow.pjh.is/journal/newsletter-5

## Model updates

1. **Opus 4.5 & Gemini 3 Pro:** Claude and Gemini are now [better than ChatGPT for most tasks](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/gemini-3-opus-4-5). Opus 4.5 is the best [default model](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/which-model).

2. **Coding:** this month, [it's Claude Code for everything](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/claude-code-vs-codex-december). Opus 4.5 is a big step up.

> ## ⭐ It's time to try Claude Skills ⭐
>
> Claude Skills with Opus 4.5 are a milestone for mundane utility. To understand, check these examples:
>
> * [Create invoices, send them, and verify payment](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/claude-skill-send-my-invoices) (pulls data from Toggl; makes invoices in Xero; sends via Gmail).
> * [Review, edit and publish blog post](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/publish-blog-post-claude-skill).
> * [Make an OKR progress report](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/okr-progress-report-claude-skill) (pulls data from Google, Drive, Calendar, Notion and Gmail).
> * [Rachel Wollen's AI Chief of Staff](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/ai-chief-of-staff).
>
> Motivated? [Learn how skills work, and how to make them](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/claude-skills).
>
> Want help? [Book a call](https://wow.pjh.is/consulting?make-claude-skill), and we'll make a skill together.

## How to pull data into the Claude web app

3. **Notion:** Claude can search, create, and edit. [Install the connector](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/how-to-connect-notion-to-claude) and configure your system prompt to make it faster. ⭐

4. **Call transcripts:** Claude can read transcripts directly from [Granola, Fireflies and Google Meet](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/give-claude-call-transcripts). ⭐

5. **Read any URL:** Claude's security sandbox limits web access. [Use Zapier](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/claude-ai-access-any-url) to work around this, if you understand the risks.

## Good to know

6. **Google Docs:** The sidebar assistant is now powered by Gemini 3 Pro. [It is finally not useless](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/gemini-in-google-docs).

7. **Research:** [Dwarkesh](https://x.com/dwarkesh_sp/status/1997836058768339213) likes the [Google Scholar PDF Reader](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/google-scholar-pdf-reader/dahenjhkoodjbpjheillcadbppiidmhp?hl=en\&pli=1). [Andy Masley](https://x.com/AndyMasley/status/1991246924121358582) thinks that [Google Scholar Labs](https://blog.google/outreach-initiatives/education/google-scholar-labs/) may be a "game changer".

8. **Calendar events:** Gemini can [**create** Google Calendar events](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/gemini-create-calendar-events), and so can [Claude Code](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/claude-code-google-workspace-mcp). ChatGPT and Claude can only read them.

9. **Gemini memory:** Gemini doesn't have memory. To get better responses, add ["who am I" context](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/tell-gemini-who-you-are) to saved info. ⭐

10. **Airtable field agents:** [Send bulk prompts to LLMs](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/airtable-field-agents) and get results in a spreadsheet. Good for bulk classification, extraction, and data enrichment.

11. **Evaluation:** [How to systematically improve your prompts](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/prompt-evaluation-with-airtable).

12. **AI Twitter roundup:** If you feel like some wow-scrolling, see [this roundup](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/ai-twitter-roundup-1). If you want just one thing, make it [Gavin Leech's review of 2025](https://x.com/g_leech_/status/1997782299245514982). ⭐

## Coding

13. **Notifications:** [Get notified when Claude Code or Codex finish work](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/coding-agent-notifications). ⭐⭐

14. **Front-end design:** Claude's new [design skill](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/claude-front-end-design-skill) can one-shot excellent, characterful web design. ⭐

## Support AI adoption on your team

15. **Playbook:** I've updated my notes on [how to support AI adoption](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/how-to-support-ai-adoption).

16. **Internal guidelines:** Coefficient Giving shared their [internal guidelines on using AI](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/internal-guidelines-ai-adoption).

17. **Robust automations:** [How to make Zaps that don't break](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/robust-workflow-automation).

## Try this

18. **Claude Skills:** As above...

19. **Reduce friction:** [Make a browser extension](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/shortcuts-for-any-web-app) to add keyboard shortcuts to a web app.

20. **Fun:** Vibe code [the Spotify homepage you actually want](https://wow.pjh.is/journal/vibe-spotify).

## Tell your friends

Please tell your friends about this newsletter. You can [tweet this](https://x.com/peterhartree/status/1999490373580939531), if you like.

## Closing vibe

Gemini 3 Pro is step up for hard questions. But Opus 4.5 is the bigger story for this newsletter: it's a breakthrough for daily tasks, and for coding.

The "wow" has been strong for me, these past days.

[Tweet](https://x.com/clairevo/status/1997740666420699314)

***

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