Asus is all set to unleash a mini version of its Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet. That's the murmur that is being stirred up after Notebook Italia managed to get its paws on a picture of a mystery Asus device.

The picture seems to show a Transformer-like tab albeit in smaller form, leading the site to suggest it could be the rumoured Asus Transformer Prime Mini - a 7-inch version of the Tegra 3 powered tablet that landed at the end of last year.

Although there is a suggestion that it could perhaps be a refreshed Asus Eee Memo Pad, incorporating a 7-inch capacitive screen with a 1280x800 resolution, a 1.2GHz dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 16GB to 64GB of flash memory, 3G and Wi-Fi and 3D capabilities.

Either way, we should know the confirmed details by this time next week as we'll be knee-deep in CES news by then. We could also be seeing a new Asus Padfone on show at the big tech expo in Las Vegas.

Toy manufacturer Hasbro is taking Asus to court over the use of the name Transformer Prime as it believes that the name is too close to its own trademarked property Optimus Prime, of the Transformers world.

Asus has yet to respond publicly, although it is believed that the company is to continue to ship the Transformer Prime in January, with a court injunction pending.

UPDATE: What's grey, shiny and seems to look you in the eye? Notebook Italia's latest Asus 7-incher picture, that's what. The latest leaked pic adds a bit more detail to the mystery. Well, it adds a centralised camera sensor, at least. Roll on CES we say, the tension is almost too much to take. Almost.

Pocket-lint will, of course, be at CES in force - so be sure to check back for comprehensive coverage then.