Minecraft 1.5 Redstone Update for PC will arrive in January 2013

Diehard Minecraft fans may want to circle January 2013 on their calendars as this is when we are told that the 1.5 update will arrive for the PC. Known as the Redstone Update, this will be the first of several that focuses on single-feature revisions, themes or fixes, according to a recent post from Gamespot. Details about the new update and subsequent releases were laid out during the recent Minecon convention. Redstone, for those of you unfamiliar, is a type of ore used in the game to build machines and contraptions. The update will essentially make Redstone more consistent and predictable by modifying some of its attributes.
The ore will be given a variable signal strength called analogue in addition to adding a new capacitor block that works like a repeater. This block will have one input and one output although it will only generate maximum output when the input level is powerful enough. Mojang studio lead Jens Bergensten said such a device could be used to make weighted pressure plates. These plates could change their output signal depending on how much pressure is applied. This would, for example, allow for a detector rail to have a stronger output when a minecart is full versus an empty cart.
There will also be updates to the minecarts themselves, special tracks to use them on, a daylight detector that can be used to built a solar-panel device and even fireworks. The well-known south-east bug will also be rectified, which could cause some complications in the event you are taking advantage of it currently. Redstone was originally supposed to be released during this holiday season (hence the inclusion of fireworks for New Year's Eve) but those plans didn’t pan out. We can now expect to see the update in the first month of 2013. Subsequent updates will be released every two months or so. "Minecraft's" upcoming 1.5 PC update has been titled the "Redstone" Update and is set for a January 2013 release. The update focuses on the game's redstone ore, giving it variable signal strength, and introduces a new capacitor block. Players will be able to use the two items together to create objects like weighted pressure plates and pressure sensitive detector rails.
Other improvements include better minecarts, a new nether-based ore for creating capacitors, and a daylight detector, which could be used for creating solar panel-like devices. There will also be a host of bug fixes, such as for the south/east rule. Mojang warned that the tweaks may break compatibility with existing creations, such as those that rely on the block update design. Mojang also provided details on its upcoming API, which will allow to developers to create plug-ins for the game. A central repository on Mojang's site will house the plug-ins, all of which will be free for users to download. Plug-ins will be able to add or remove functionality from "Minecraft", but not modify the core game engine.