Minecraft Redstone Update hits March 13, pre-release out now
Prepare yourself for the Minecraft Redstone Update, which enables exciting additions such as the Redstone Comparator, a daylight sensor, weighted pressure plate, Nether quartz and ore, more detailed death messages, three settings in smooth lighting, and "many, many bug fixes." Minecraft 1.5, the Redstone Update, hits on Wednesday, March 13.
Update 1.5 provides a number of changes to Minecraft's Redstone, including variable signal strength, the introduction of a new capacitor block with one input and output each, new minecarts and more.
Take a look at the complete pre-release change list below, and grab it directly from Mojang here.
Added Redstone Comparator (used in Redstone logic)
Added Hopper (collects items and moves them to containers)
Added Dropper (similar to Dispensers, but always drops the item)
Added Activator Rail (activates TNT Minecarts)
Added Daylight Sensor
Added Trapped Chest
Added Weighed Pressure Plate
Added Block of Redstone
Added Nether Brick (item)
Added Nether Quartz and ore
Added Block of Quartz, with half blocks and chiseled variants
New command: /scoreboard
New command: /effect
Containers and mobs can have custom names
Inventory management has been changed, for example you can drag-place items over slots
Texture packs now have separate images for each block and item, and can have animations
Nether Quartz Ore now spawns in the Nether
Smooth lighting now has three settings (none, minimal, maximum)
More detailed death messages
Some hostile mobs now are harder in Hard difficulty
Many, many, bug fixes
Removed Herobrine