Google gives Now a past, will remind you of things you wanted to do — and when the last bus leaves

Days after releasing new Google Now options that will drive monetization on Google Glass, Google announced updates for everyone else. Google Now on Android now includes cards for car rentals, concerts, movie reminders, and telling your spouse you just left work.

The cool ones are the ones that will actually save you time or help you in new ways.

One new Google Now card will give you little “remind me” buttons embedded in future Google searches. Now, when you’re searching for movies or artists, you can get a quick Google Now reminder when a new film or album launches. If you’re like me, you’ve seen movie previews that look great, and you want to watch, but months later, you’ve forgotten all about them. Now, Google will remind you when the movie is actually in theaters.

Other new cards will help with your daily commute.

One tells you when the last train or bus is leaving so you won’t miss it. Another isn’t for you at all. Instead, using Google Now’s built-in location awareness, it informs your spouse or loved ones when you’re leaving work.

Google is also adding a new concert ticket card, car rentals card, TV card, which can “tell you about the news mentioned and music playing in the TV show you’re watching,” and an NCAA football card with real-time live scores.

There’s obvious commercial and advertising potential in the new additions, similar to recent updates to Google Now on Google Glass, which include notifications of restaurant reservations, hotel bookings, and concerts, as well as movie schedules for nearby cinemas.

The updates are all available as part of the Google search app for Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) and up.