Want to know the whole list of updates?
This is from the wiki:
Delay/repeater blocks Beds Added three new half-size blocks (
wooden slab,
cobblestone slab,
sandstone slab) Slimes have a higher spawn rate (?) New Mojang logo splash screen Graphics settings screen Ability to toggle between classic lighting and "
smooth" lighting Worlds now use a generic McRegion chunk save format, with built-in auto conversion While starting a new world, players can choose their own name and seed to generate the world More than 5 Worlds possible Scrollbars in both the texture pack list, and in the map selection screen Added whitelisting to the server. To use, enter “whitelist <cmd>” where cmd is “on”, “off”, “add <player>”, “remove <player>”, “list” or “reload” F1 now toggles HUD. F3 can now be toggled. When F3 is pressed, mobs display a number over their head. This number is referred to as the "entity id" and can be seen in the console when players connect to a server. F8 toggles mouse smoothing In 3rd person mode, character can be visibly seen to bob side to side when you walk (only when View Bobbing is enabled). Sandstone is now found at the bottom of naturally generated sand. All pressure plates now require two of its materials, instead of 3. The new
stone slabs are now created by using 3 of the materials (see specific block pages for further information) Mine time for
Sandstone decreased.
Redstone dust will get darker the farther away it is from a source of power. New painting added of a flaming skull. Some blocks of ice have curved edges.(Needs clarification.) Blocks break slower while in air. (Needs clarification.) Less passive Mobs when on harder modes (?) Deleting world confirmation changed slightly. Lapis Lazuli now drops 4-8 pieces when mined instead of 1 in SMP.Bugfixes:
When breaking double slabs (one slab placed on another) it will drop two slabs instead of one. Wood and logs don't burn forever anymore. F1 in 3rd person mode no longer flips view. Grassland/Sand-related biome border fixed (Boundaries line up, rather than obviously show chunk borders) (need someone with more knowledge) No longer getting Java Log error spam.? Players can no longer use the click-release to quickly mine blocks. Note: Only applies to SMP. Floating Gravel falls automatically when chunks are generated.New Bugs:
Cactus can be planted in water, but will be destroyed when it grows up. Some users reporting worlds getting deleted (confirm?). Deletion may be caused by use of mods from 1.2 that have not updated. Levers can be placed on the bottom of a block, as long as there is an open space, and a block horizontal to the open space. The lever will act as if placed on the horizontal block, but looks glitched, as shown here:
Media:Brokenlever.png If someone uses their bed in SMP, other players may get disconnected. (Un-Recognisable Packet ID: 17) Wooden Slabs are best mined with pickaxe, not an axe. Zombies cannot hurt players unless the zombie is above them. Large chests may cause crashes when opening them (Unconfirmed: crashes may be caused by use of mods from 1.2 that have not updated). If debug screen is toggled on in a world and you save and quit to title screen, the graph stays on the screen.Lighting bugs on portal, water, and ice blocks with smooth lighting.