That’s right. Google Wave is a personal communication and collaboration tool, which, translated to surfer language, is a conversation and document put together, in real time. Happening now. But don’t be alarmed – if your memory skills are a bit rusty, you can always rewind the wave and see who said what and when.

Which is a bit scary, because I always second guess myself. I’m never quite sure of what I really want to say, and I need to think very carefully before typing anything. Some words, when written, can’t be taken back , so even when you edit something, the word is already out there in the wave. Real time is a time saver, but also a dangerous tool that needs to be handled carefully.

Since the Wave is still being polished, it’s hard to say how this will work out and if people will get used to it. It’s a very useful tool, but maybe not for all occasions. Also, do you really want to get all the real time updates? Just the thought of this seems like you’re almost getting into people’s heads, and looks like a scene taken from Being John Malkovich.

Luckily, Butterscotch has made a series of videos that give us a step-by-step guide on how to make the most out of Google Wave, without getting in uncomfortable situations or drown in the sea of options.

I’ve been trying Google Wave but I guess I’m  too old-fashioned. I like real letters, real conversations and monologues. I miss the beach days where things were simple and sunny, and where the biggest technological scam was Milli Vanilli’s playback. As Portuguese speakers say, “tenho saudades” – and what can I say, surfers are cuter than geeks.

But did you know there are plenty of other Google tips, tricks and shortcuts which could potentially save you time and money, help you better plan your day and potentially save your life? Below, 5min Partner PCWizKid, who was recently honored as a 2009 Microsoft MVP, shares some of the best Google tricks up his sleeve to help you make the most of the search engine that changed the world:

1. Define It: Even without a dictionary, Google can definitely help you avoid ending up befuddled, by allowing you to easily look up words and their meanings – for example, try typing in define: befuddled.

2. Calculate It: Got to crunch those numbers, but don’t have a calculator on hand? Sure, you could use the fairly basic calculator functions found in most computers, but why bother? Just type in a formula, no matter how complex, and get the answers you need.

3. Convert it: Need to know how much it’ll cost you to order smashing new threads from your fave Japanese shop? Don’t worry your pretty little head – just turn to Google, and use the calculator in order to convert your local currency into the Japanese yen. How awesome is that?! Aside from calculating how much money you’ll really be blowing online, you can also calculate weight and size conversions, to make sure you’re ordering the correct sizes.

4. Clock it: Got news you can’t wait to share with your friends or colleagues who happen to be stationed in another hemisphere? No problem! Simply type in time and the name of the city where your friends are, and find out if it’s still a socially acceptable hour to phone or Skype them.

5. Watch it: Want to catch a matinee on your day off, but got lots of other errands to run? Plan your day wisely by finding out the local showtimes for the movie of your choice. by typing the movie’s name and your postal code and hitting “Search”, you’ll be able to check out local listings and movie showtimes in your area.

Got a Tech SOS? Be sure to check out more tech tips, tricks and tutorials from PCWizKid here on 5min, and follow PCWizKid on Twitter!