Use YouTube on your Android smartphone or tablet? If you're nodding your head "Yes," then the folks at Google have a big surprise for you. The company today released a major update to its YouTube for Android app that includes a new user interface along with a ton of new features to make wasting the day away with Internet videos much easier. The folks over at Android Police have combed through the app and found the following features contained within the v5.0.21 YouTube update:

• New card-based user interface that, unsurprisingly, is reminiscent of Google Now and other recently-updated apps (also includes refreshed and "fully-functional" tablet UI)
• New multitasking feature that allows a user to minimize a video to the lower-right corner of the display and navigate the app while still watching the clip. Videos can be minimized by swiping down, pressing the down arrow in the top left corner of the display or tapping the Back button. 
• Slide-out navigation options given hamburger menu-style treatment, includes quick access to things like History, Playlists and Favorites
• New app icon

And that's just a sampling of the goodies that Google has packed inside this YouTube app update. To say that this is a big refresh would be an understatement, and I bet that Android users that spend any amount of time in their phone or tablet's YouTube app will appreciate the makeover.

As is usually the case with these updates, the new YouTube app is slowly rolling out to devices everywhere. If you're feeling impatient, though, Android Police has posted the APK that will allow anyone to install the new app and check out the new-look YouTube right away. It's also worth noting that YouTube has told The Verge that this app redesign will be rolling out to other platforms shortly, so you non-Android YouTube lovers will eventually be able to enjoy the card-based UI as well.

Via Android Police, The Verge, Google Play: YouTube