Ok Minecraft has been finally released and it now has a new version number which 1.0 the other number system was based on alpha and beta version. Here is a list of whats now in the full game.

I thought it might be time for me to search around and find the pre release patch notes for 1.9 pre 4 so here they are...

Changes

• Spikes added (likely only referring to pillars in enderworld. No new block found)
• Glistering Melon added. Crafted with Melon and Gold Nugget. Non-edible. (Glister is the old English version of glitter)
• Moon Now has phases video
• Round Sun and Moon
• The sun now rises on the right side of the map. Putting north at the top. And clouds float west
• The Eyes of Ender now fly up in the direction of the nearest stronghold. You can only use 4 or so ender eyes at once, then you must pick them back up.
• New Stuff in Strongholds. Possible loot includes: Ender Pearls, Diamonds, Iron Ingots, golden apples, iron pickaxes.
• 6 Different Slabs (can someone confirm that they are new?) 1.9pre3 Brick and Stone Slabs are new no they're not. Also wood slabs not shown in image Yes they are new No they are old. No new slabs.
• not in the game, but in the .JAR there is an enderdragon entry in the /mob sub-folder with textures (Ender Dragon Textures )
• Your current level is displayed in the center of the screen 1.9pre3
• lighting in the rain is back 1.9pre3
• looks like experience has been slightly modified to give you more per action. eg) Way more XP for killing Zombie Pigmen. Might be an overall increase for testing purposes.
• You can no longer place a water source on a spot where there already is a water source. It will be placed next to it instead as another water source
• Similarily, you can no longer place lava where there is already a lava source block. It will place on top or next to it.
• Spiders appear to be more animated. The legs move more and not all at once.
• server now has Rcon and Query support
• character gives off a bubbly animation after it eats a golden apple
• Signs can be Placed with greater freedom of rotation 1.8 or earlier
• torch on chest glitch? I know there was a glitch to do this earlier but maybe now it's easier? Confirmation?
• Melons only drop 1 slice now instead of 4-6 slices after breaking (Just a bug )
• you can attack/kill mobs through glass (both blocks and panes) (possibly a bug?) *The server not waiting for chunks to save bug has been fixed.
• ghast fireballs now do more damage and create more fire upon impact.(on hard I'm getting a full health bar halved from splash damage alone, and a near direct hit took away about 9 hearts) On the flip side, they seem to spawn slightly less.
• spider jockeys are more common now? (needs confirmation)
• Snow doesn't delete torches, saplings, watermelon sprouts, pumpkin sprouts, or wheat anymore
• you can shear grass to put in your inventory 1.8.1 or earlier
• cows don't breed anymore, (false, possibly only breed once or more likely just after the cooldown of 1 game day) also now have udders?(1.9pre or earlier.) After breeding, cows follow their baby around. (1.9pre3 or earlier) cows remain the same as 1.9pre3

The End

• The "End" Dimension can now be reached by using Eye of the Enders on all the "weird" blocks and you get teleported to a world with obsidian pillars, endermen, and not sponge(new block seems like just a retexture of cobble )
• New block that is not sponge in The End Realm. It has the properties of stone. Shown in natural light
• End is not completed
• Maps in the End are blank. Unless you craft a map in the end. but even then they are fairly useless.
• The end appears to be a large floating island instead of an infinitely generating zone. You can place water in the End.
• Nether Portals will not light in the End
• Sleeping in beds in the End produces violent, fiery explosions, just like the Nether
• currently no way to leave the End other than dying
• Endermen in the End drop black exp orbs (caused by low light level in End)
• Video1 Video2 of the End

Enchantments

• can no longer enchant the flint and steel
• Enchantment Table now has a tooltip name on creative mode
• blue particle effect (like crits) to tell you enchantments are working
• no enchantment costs above 5 skill pts (Unless you place bookshelves near the enchantment table confirmed ) ( Yes, the number of bookshelfs increases the level of enchantments further. A table surrounded by six bookshelves on each side (and one block gap) gives level 14 recipes. By further surrounding the table, higher levels are possible. (49 confirmed By placing bookshelves walls of 5x5 around the enchantment table with space between the table and the shelves)
• ONLY bookshelves which are at the height of the enchantment table and a row above it make little the symbols float into the animated enchantment book. Also only the sides of the bookshelves emit these symbols, and only ones within a line-of-sight to the enchanting table.
• Multiple enchantments can be applied to a weapon (possible that gold weapons have a much higher chance of being dual modded. Gold seems to pick up more powerful enchantments, with a higher chance of getting many)
• Sword of featherfall I/II/III/IV (does not negate fall damage)(Falling 10 blocks: 2.5dam regular, 2.0dam w/ armor, 1.0dam with featherfall IV)
• Bane of arthropods I (more damage to spiders)
• pickaxe of Efficiency I/II (mines slightly faster)
• Sword of Smite I/II. (It glows blue instead of the normal pink) (More damaging to Skeletons and Zombies)
• Sharpness I
• Respiration I/II/III (Maybe it let's you breathe longer underwater or sprint longer?)
• Projectile Protection I/II/III/IV (No health damage from arrows, still armour damage. Needs verification)
• Protection I/II/IV (Protection II armor gives you absolutely no damage in lava while armor slowly deteriorates)
• Fire Aspect I (lights enemy on fire.)
• Efficiency I/II
• Unbreaking I/II (You have a chance of not wasting a use of the tool)
• Fire Protection I/II
• Blast Protection I
• sword of looting I (Mobs seem to be dropping much more loot than average)
• pickaxe of fortune I video (chance of doubling drop upon mining ore) (works on coal and diamonds, but not iron or gold. Seems to work only if the block would drop a different item type upon being mined.) (Pickaxe of Fortune doesn't work on iron/gold, since you could endlessly re-plant the harvested ore block)
• Axe of Silk Touch I (Silk touch makes it so you get the block that you break. For instance breaking a glowstone block gives you a glowstone block instead of dust)
• Aqua Affinity I (dig easier underwater)

Potions

• Water Bottle+Glistering Melon = Mundane Potion + Fermented Spider Eye = Potion of Weakness 1:30
• Water Bottle+Nether Wart = Awkward Potion + Glistering Melon = Potion of Healing Instant Health + Glowstone Dust = Potion of Healing (Instant Health II)
• Water Bottle+Nether Wart = Awkward Potion + Ghast Tear = Potion of Regeneration 0:45 + Glowstone Dust = Potion of Regeneration II 0:22
• Weaponized potions. You can turn any potions into splash potions by brewing gunpowder into a potion (even Even Instant Health II). It appears in a different shaped flask. Instead of drinking it, you throw it like a grenade.
• splash potions of harming and poison do not damage undead type mobs. If you load a splash potion into a dispenser, it splashes when the dispenser throws it.
• The potion of swiftness now leaves a visible effect on the player
• Green particle effects on you when you're poisoned
• Potion of Strength will also leave a particle effect on the player.

Info taken from here

Minecraft 1.8 has finally been released in the up coming week we will be putting up our PvP server once again and then work on the creative build server. Here is a list of whats been added in this new patch.

Bug fixes, bug fixes and bug fixes.

- Corrected a block duplication bug when using pistons
- Corrected a redstone torch duplication bug when using pistons
- Corrected a client crash when placing a sign in front of the piston, powering the piston and then removing the block beneath the sign
- Ice blocks are now pushed without causing water streams breaking everything
- Booster rails are no longer being powered magically without a power source
- Pistons connected to the end of a piston-transistor via redstone are now properly closed when the power goes out
- Doors no longer create purple particles
- Hacking clients can no longer edit texts of placed signs in multiplayer
- Changed so that paintings pushed by pistons will pop off