Minecraft 1.5 released, 1.5.1 on the way and snapshot tomorrow

After months of development and many weeks of snapshots, Minecraft version 1.5 is here. The update includes dozens of huge new features, and many small improvements and bug fixes as well. Since I couldn't hope to fit all the new additions of the update, here is the changelog embedded from Minecraft Wiki:

General

Additions

• Minecraft Realms
  
  
  
  • Currently a preview
  
  
  • A Mojang server provider
  
  
  • Only added to few "randomly" chosen players
  
  
  • Used on Menu Screen, when activated
  
  
  
  

Improvements & Changes

• Lighting
  
  
  
  • Engine optimizations
  
  
  • Support for more realistic lighting^[2][3]
  
  
  • Lighting interacts correctly with slabs and stairs^[4]
  
  
  • Note: Active furnaces still emit light only from the front surface (as before), and black spots have not been fixed
  
  
  
  


• Texture Packs
  
  
  
  • New format
  
  
  • Textures use one PNG file per block or item, which are stitched together at runtime, texture sizes don't need to be consistent
  
  
  • Textures can be animated.
    
    
    
    • Animation frames are underneath each other in the same image
    
    
    • Use a separate text file to specify frame order and duration
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Special rules apply for water, lava, compass, and clock
  
  
  • Vanilla textures will be used if texture files are missing
  
  
  • Support for HD texture packs.^[5]
  
  
  • Support for HD fonts
  
  
  
  

Gameplay

Additions

• Scoreboard system
  
  
  
  • Intended for map makers or server administrators.
    
    
    
    • Good for PVP servers.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Used via /scoreboard command or command block
  
  
  • The scoreboard can be used to track deaths, players killing another player, players killing a mob, or players activating commands
  
  
  • The complicated system uses a combination of name, display name, and criteria, and track an integer number of points for players
  
  
  • Has team mechanics including custom name colors, friendly fire options and objective tracking per team instead of per player
  
  
  • Displays points below players nametags
  
  
  • Invisible players on a team can be seen using the SeeFriendlyInvisibles NBT tag
  
  
  
  


• Commands
  
  
  
  • /testfor command
    
    
    
    • Tests for whether specified player is online (testfor [player]), or at specified coordinate and/or in radius (testfor @p[x,y,z], testfor @p[r=radius] or testfor @p[x,y,z,r=radius])
    
    
    • Signal output to any Redstone Comparators surrounding the command block like testing content of a chest
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • /effect command
    
    
    
    • Usage: /effect <player> <effect> [seconds] [amplifier]
    
    
    • To remove effects: /effect <player> <effect> 0
    
    
    • Maximum number of seconds are 1,000,000
    
    
    • Amplifier increases level of the chosen status effect
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

Improvements & Changes

• Inventory management
  
  
  
  • Double click items to fill the stack up as much as possible.
  
  
  • Drag item stacks around to divide them up over the dragged-over slots.
  
  
  • Drag item stacks around with the right mouse button to place one of that stack in each dragged-over slot, if that slot is not occupied already.
  
  
  • ⇧ Shift+ double click items in a crafting area to place all items in the inventory.
  
  
  • ⇧ Shift+ double click an item stack to move all other item stacks of that kind to that part of the inventory.
  
  
  • Pressing Q while the mouse is over an item in the inventory or a container to drop it
  
  
  • Held armor can be equipped by right-clicking.
  
  
  
  


• Death Messages
  
  
  
  • Include the cause of death, the player the deceased player was fighting at time of death and name of the item used to kill.
    
    
    
    • Player fell off a ladder
    
    
    • Player fell off some vines
    
    
    • Player fell out of the water
    
    
    • Player fell from a high place
    
    
    • Player fell into a patch of fire
    
    
    • Player fell into a patch of cacti
    
    
    • Player got finished off by Player or Mob using Weapon
    
    
    • Player walked into a fire whilst fighting Player or Mob
    
    
    • Player was burnt to a crisp whilst fighting Player or Mob
    
    
    • Player tried to swim in lava while trying to escape Player or Mob
    
    
    • Player walked into a cactus while trying to escape Player or Mob
    
    
    • Player was slain by Player or Mob using Weapon
    
    
    • Player was killed trying to hurt Player or Mob
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Renaming
  
  
  
  • Improved renaming of Spawn Eggs
    
    
    
    • Mobs spawned from renamed eggs have the name of the egg and the names will appear in the death message
    
    
    • Mobs can display their custom name as nametag using an NBT tag
    
    
    • Mobs spawned from named Spawn Eggs display their name over their head when viewed within a 6 block radius
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Improved renaming of Containers
    
    
    
    • Renamed Chests, Trapped Chests, Dispensers, Furnaces, Brewing Stands, and Enchantment Tables display the new name in their GUI
    
    
    • Renamed Command Blocks use their name in the chat
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Language files
  
  
  
  • Language files can be updated via the background downloader
    
    
    
    • A new Minecraft release is not needed to update the language files
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Options & Title Screen
  
  
  
  • Moved Texture Packs button to options menu, instead of title screen
  
  
  • New chat settings in Multiplayer Settings
    
    
    
    • Scale, Focused Height, Unfocused Height and Width is configurable
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Smooth Lighting can be changed to Minimum, Maximum & Off
    
    
    
    • Minimum uses the old Smooth Lighting, and Maximum fixes a bug with stairs
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Creative Mode
  
  
  
  • All potions are categorized
  
  
  • In Creative mode, you can hit mobs or players from five blocks away
  
  
  
  

Blocks & Items

Additions

• Activator Rail
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 2 sticks, 6 iron ingots and 1 redstone torch
  
  
  • Used to trigger Minecart with TNT
  
  
  • Used to stop item passing on Minecart with Hopper
  
  
  • Needs to be powered by redstone
  
  
  • Transmits redstone signal to 8 Activator Rails far
  
  
  
  


• Block of Redstone
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 9 Redstones
  
  
  • Stores 9 Redstone
  
  
  • Emits constant redstone signal
  
  
  • Works as pushable redstone power source
  
  
  
  


• Daylight Sensor
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 3 Wooden Slabs, 3 Nether Quartz and 3 Glass blocks
  
  
  • Outputs a signal with a strength corresponding to the intensity of the sun
  
  
  • Only works with the sun's light (not man made light such as torches)
  
  
  • Rain affects the sensor's output
  
  
  
  


• Dropper
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 7 Cobblestones and 1 Redstone
  
  
  • Places items in containers in front of them, if there is no container it will dispense the item without using it
  
  
  • A dispenser 'shoots' items at you, while a dropper 'throws' items at you^[6]
  
  
  • Can face all 6 directions, with a different texture when facing up or down
  
  
  • Need redstone signal to drop items
  
  
  • Fires once when the input becomes powered
  
  
  • Redstone signal emitted when a Redstone Comparator is placed against it directly - signal length depends on its fullness
  
  
  
  


• Hopper
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 5 iron ingots and 1 Chest
  
  
  • Places and takes out items in Hoppers, Chests, Furnaces, Minecart with Chests, Minecart with Hoppers, Dispensers,Droppers, and Brewing Stands
  
  
  • Allows for the automation of many processes collecting drops
  
  
  • Powering the Hopper stops it from [taking] in items and releasing them^[7]
  
  
  • Redstone signal emitted when a Redstone Comparator is placed against it directly - signal length depends on its fullness
    
    
    
    • 1 item will give a signal strength of 1, a third of a stack (21 for items which stack to 64) gives a signal strength of 2
    
    
    • The number of full stacks x 3 = Signal strength
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Minecart with Hopper^[8]
  
  
  
  • Crafting recipe is a hopper on top of a minecart
  
  
  • Can only be emptied by passing over a hopper
  
  
  • Can pick up items from containers when it passes over
  
  
  
  


• Minecart with Spawner entity^[9]
  
  
  
  • Only obtainable with world editors
  
  
  • Have only the entity not the item
  
  
  • Uses the same NBT format as a normal Spawner
  
  
  
  


• Minecart with TNT
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 1 TNT and 1 Minecart
  
  
  • Triggered by Activator Rails
  
  
  • Explodes even more violently the faster it goes
  
  
  • In Creative mode when left clicked while moving, the Minecart with TNT explodes
  
  
  • Doesn't destroy rails and supporting blocks
  
  
  • Still blows up redstone materials
  
  
  
  


• Redstone Comparator
  
  
  
  • Based on the idea of the Capacitor mentioned at Minecon 2012
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 3 Redstone Torches, 1 Nether Quartz and 3 Stone
  
  
  • It is the same as a repeater, but with 2 inputs
    
    
    
    • If input A is stronger or equal to input B, it either repeats the signal or outputs the difference between A and B, so this can be used as an easier way make redstone contraptions like Piston Doors
      
      
      
      • Output is toggleable by right clicking
      
      
      
      
    
    
    • If input A is weaker than input B, then there is no output
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • All containers output a redstone signal when a Redstone Comparator is placed against it directly. The strength of it depends on how full the container is and what disc number is used in a Jukebox
    
    
    
    • This works with Trapped Chests as well, meaning it can provide two redstone signals with different causes at the same time
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Trapped Chest
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 1 Chest, and 1 Tripwire Hook
  
  
  • Gives out a signal depending on the amount of players looking inside
  
  
  • Large Trapped Chests can be staggered with Large Chests to allow more compact storage
  
  
  • Transmit signal downward through one block. This does not apply horizontally^[10]
  
  
  • Texture is slightly different than a normal chest, with a red stain around the latch
  
  
  
  


• Weighted Pressure Plate
  
  
  
  • Used to detect item drops
  
  
  • Gold(light) version reaches full strength at 60 items
  
  
  • Iron(heavy) version reaches full strength at 600 items
  
  
  • Linear, so 10 strength signal means twice as many items as a 5 strength signal
  
  
  
  


• Nether Brick (item)
  
  
  
  • Obtained by smelting Netherrack
  
  
  • Used to make Netherbrick
  
  
  
  


• Nether Quartz
  
  
  
  • Picked up when you break or smelt Nether Quartz Ore
  
  
  • Is a crafting ingredient for Daylight Sensors and Redstone Comparators
  
  
  • Can be crafted into decorative blocks
  
  
  
  


• Nether Quartz Ore
  
  
  
  • Drops 1 Nether Quartz item when mined
  
  
  • Can be smelted in a Furnace to obtain Nether Quartz
  
  
  • Can be legitimately obtained by Silk Touch enchantment
  
  
  • Drop more when picked up with Fortune enchantment
  
  
  
  


• Block of Quartz
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 4 Nether Quartzes in a square
  
  
  • Decorative block
  
  
  
  


• Quartz Slab
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 3 Block of Quartz
  
  
  • Can be placed upside down same all other slabs
  
  
  • Decorative block
  
  
  
  


• Quartz Stairs
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 6 Block of Quartz in a usual stair recipe
  
  
  • Can be placed upside down same all other stairs
  
  
  • Updated to corner same all other stairs
  
  
  
  


• Chiseled Quartz Block
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 2 Quartz Slabs
  
  
  • Decorative block
  
  
  
  


• Pillar Quartz Block
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is 2 vertical Block of Quartz
  
  
  • Decorative block
  
  
  • Pillar Quartz Blocks can be placed sideways, using the side of the block to place similar to sideways Wood
  
  
  
  


• Multiple snow heights
  
  
  
  • Fully implemented - previously, a world editor could be used for different heights of snow
  
  
  • Drops one snowball for every layer of snow
  
  
  • Each level of snow has its own height collision
    
    
    
    • The topmost layer of snow does not have collision, so the player is always slightly sunken in the snow
    
    
    • Visually, four layers of snow is the same height as a slab. However, five layers of snow has the same collision height as a slab
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Crafting recipe is 3 snow blocks in a row to create 6 snow layers
    
    
    
    • For each thin layer of snow crafted, the player loses exactly half the snowballs required to produce it
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Sandstone Double Slab
  
  
  
  • Place two sandstone slabs on top of each other
  
  
  • The block ID is 43:9
  
  
  
  

Improvements & Changes

• Beacon
  
  
  
  • Increased range
    
    
    
    • 1 layer: 20 blocks (previously 16)
    
    
    • 2 layers: 30 blocks (previously 24)
    
    
    • 3 layers: 40 blocks (previously 32)
    
    
    • 4 layers: 50 blocks (previously 40)
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Bone Meal
  
  
  
  • Slightly nerfed
  
  
  • Now picks a random stage of growth each time as opposed to automatically pushing them to the final growth stage
  
  
  • Saplings take 2-4 bone meal to sprout into a tree
  
  
  • Gives off green particles when used
  
  
  
  


• Brewing Stand
  
  
  
  • Redstone signal emitted when a Redstone Comparator is placed against it directly - signal length depends on its fullness
  
  
  
  


• Chest
  
  
  
  • Redstone signal emitted when a Redstone Comparator is placed against it directly - signal length depends on its fullness
  
  
  
  


• Detector Rail
  
  
  
  • Redstone signal emitted when a Redstone Comparator is placed against it directly - signal length depends on the fullness of the container on the rail
  
  
  • Added activated detector rail texture
  
  
  
  


• Dispenser
  
  
  
  • Now equip armor to players that are up to 1 block away
  
  
  • Can place and activate TNT
  
  
  • Now use Bone Meal on a crop or sapling in front of them
  
  
  • Can create fire in front of them with Flint and Steel, which consumes durability
  
  
  • They can now face all 6 directions, and use a different texture when facing up or down
  
  
  • No longer fire while updated, instead they fire when their input becomes powered
  
  
  • Redstone signal emitted when a Redstone Comparator is placed against it directly - signal length depends on its fullness
  
  
  
  


• Jukebox
  
  
  
  • Redstone signal emitted when a Redstone Comparator is placed against it directly - signal length depends on the number of the disc used.
  
  
  
  


• Lava
  
  
  
  • Updated texture
  
  
  
  


• Locked Chest
  
  
  
  • Textures put in individual files, nothing for the Locked Chest to use.
  
  
  • Now uses the "Missing Texture" texture
  
  
  
  


• Nether Brick
  
  
  
  • The crafting recipe is now 4 Nether Brick (item)
  
  
  
  


• Stairs
  
  
  
  • Improved lighting
  
  
  • Stairs no longer prevent sprinting
  
  
  
  


• Stone Double Slab
  
  
  
  • Double stone slabs now have a block ID of 43:8
  
  
  • This allows double stone slabs to be given through commands
  
  
  
  


• Water
  
  
  
  • Creating an infinite water source no longer needs a block underneath, but has to have a water source block.
  
  
  • This means you won't ruin rivers or oceans with Buckets
  
  
  
  

Mobs

Improvements & Changes

• All Mobs
  
  
  
  • Mobs no longer walk over rails unless they are pursuing the player
  
  
  • A way for mobs/entities to ride other mobs/entities using a NBT editor or Sethbling's MCEdit filter (Stack Entities). Can be found here
    
    
    
    • They no longer dismount upon reload
    
    
    • Mobs can now be spawned riding other mobs
    
    
    • Allows for a lot of customization, including "riding" bats by spawning a bat with a minecart on top, spider jockeys and other crazy combinations
    
    
    • Players riding stuff will keep it when logging off (When logging off in a minecart, you will take it with you)
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• Skeleton
  
  
  
  • Now shoot from 16 blocks away, instead of 10
  
  
  • They now shoot faster when their target is closer
  
  
  • They shoot players one block away
  
  
  
  


• Slimes
  
  
  
  • Slime spawn rates in swamps now depend on the current moon phase.^[11]
  
  
  
  


• Zombie
  
  
  
  • They now alert other Zombies within a radius when they see a player
  
  
  • They do more damage as they lose health
  
  
  • When on fire, they can now set players on fire
  
  
  • Now become aggressive and come towards you when shot from farther away
  
  
  
  

World Generation

Additions

• Nether Quartz Ore
  
  
  
  • Found in the Nether
  
  
  • Drops Nether Quartz crystal when mined
  
  
  • There is an average of roughly 70 ores per chunk
    
    
    
    • As common as Iron Ore in the Overworld
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • Works with both Fortune and Silk Touch enchantments
  
  
  
  

Improvements & Changes

• Abandoned Mineshaft
  
  
  
  • Now spawn items in Minecart with Chests, instead of Chests
  
  
  
  

So yeah, have fun scrolling through that. You can get the update by logging into the Minecraft launcher and clicking 'Yes' to update. Remember it's not a good idea to update right away (because servers need to update first), or keep a 1.4 and a 1.5 jar for easy switching. Have fun guys!