The Google Now app which comes pre-installed on every Android device has received a rather hefty update that allows the service to provide information for the Winter Olympics, in addition to new capabilities that allows the service to call or send an SMS message to one of your contacts.

The new Winter Olympics cards are automatically displayed in the Google Now application in chronological order and share the latest information with regards to medal standings, breaking news and upcoming events with the user. Alternatively, if you don’t feel like opening the app, you could always use the widget to ask Google “Who is leading the Winter Olympics”, where upon you will be greeted with a response telling you who is currently in first place and with how many medals they’ve won…”

New capabilities for Google Now also incorporate the capacity to call or send a text message to one of your contacts. Both calls and texts can be placed from either the widget on your home screen or from within the built-in application. Simply tap the microphone icon and say the name of the person you want to call or text. For example, you can say “call Josh”/ “text Josh”. The name and number of the contact is then presented on the screen for you to confirm or deny as the correct person before the call is placed or a text is sent.

Google Now has also added the facility to create reminders in six additional languages — German, French, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Japanese and Korean. You can now set a reminder for a specific upcoming event, tell Google how you plan to get there, i.e. car, bus, train, plane etc., and what time you would like to arrive, then Google Now will set the required reminders.

If you haven’t yet received the update and wish to download and install it directly from the Google Play Store — click the source link below.