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Google has issued another update for Glass, one that enhances the wearable computing device with a broader command vocabulary, more Google Now Cards and a variety of other software improvements.

Update XE8 adds two new voice commands: "Post an update" and "Take a note." These commands have been enabled for use with third-party apps Path and Evernote, respectively. Glass developers can add support for the commands to their own apps, as documented on the Glass developer website. Google says developers will soon be able to use voice commands to trigger a variety of services.

Glass support for Google Now, the company's real-time personal assistant service, has been expanded with Cards that offer reminders about concerts, hotel bookings and dinner reservations. The device will also now present proximity-based Google Now Cards providing movie show times when the wearer is near a movie theater, or with Google public alerts when there's an emergency situation nearby.

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The video player controls on Glass have also been improved, allowing Glass wearers to toggle between play and pause with a tap on the frame, and to go forward or backward in the video by swiping along the frame.

Google has also added a way to check your Glass timeline while conducting a video call. Swiping down along the device frame during a video call loads the timeline and puts the video call in the background. This disables the camera, preventing your view from being shared. To rejoin the call, simply tap on the active video call card to the left of your Home screen.

Glass now has a dedicated volume setting card in the Settings bundle. When navigating via Glass, wearers have access to three new voice commands: "Show route overview," "Hide route overview" and "Stop directions."

When sharing a picture or video, Glass users can add a caption by saying, "Okay Glass, add a caption" at the Okay Glass prompt. If you use the word "hashtag" while speaking a caption, Glass will convert it into the proper symbol. This is in addition to the "#throughglass" hashtag that Glass appends automatically to shared content captions.

If your friends aren't worth the effort of a birthday phone call, Glass is ready to help: "When calling to wish someone a happy birthday is too much, we've added the ability to send them a message instead," Google explains in the XE8 release notes. "Tap on a birthday reminder card and swipe forward to 'send a message.'"

Don't forget to add the hashtag "#idhaveignoredyourbirthdaybutforthisgoogleplusreminder."