Google Boosts Speech Features of Google Glass

Following today’s update, Google Glass users will be able to watch videos, and even stay abreast of the latest traffic and email alerts, using the device’s new Google Now cards system.

The update, which should start appearing for Google Glass users today and take a few days to reach every Glass owner, allows users to monitor the latest sports scores, traffic conditions and weather conditions from their Google Glass device.

These new cards are powered by a Google Glass-centric version of Google Now, the application that allows Android and iPhone users to get the latest event, weather and other information directly from Google.

According to today’s press release, users will also be to get reminders for hotel reservations, event tickets and movie time information that is sent to their Gmail account.

That’s not all that’s in the update either. Users are also getting access to a new set of voice features on Glass, with Google noting that “[Users] can now add voice commands from other services to the main menu. To kick things off, we’re introducing two new voice commands: ‘Post an update’ (first supported by Path), and ‘Take a note’ (first supported by Evernote).”

Google will add more voice commands to Google Glass over time, and the company does note that users can expect more services to arrive on the device at some point in the future. No doubt, that’s good news for users who aren’t already using Path but already have Facebook and Twitter accounts that they’d like to use with the device.

Unfortunately, there’s still no way for users to get their hands on a Google Glass device outside of the Google Glass Explorer program. Today’s update is just the latest in a series of upgrades that have brought new features to Google Glass in the last few months.

Read: Google Glass Coming to Stores By End of 2013 for Less Than $1500

Previous updates have added wireless streaming capabilities and its very own version of Google Chrome.

Google is expected to ship a different version of Google Glass meant for average users sometime this year, though the company itself hasn’t detailed any concrete plans for a wider launch just yet.