Is Kinect Microsoft's secret weapon in the mini-tablet fight?

With almost every major device of 2013 coming with a so called 'mini' version, it seems fitting that Microsoft has decided to release a smaller version of its Microsoft Surface tablet range.

Rumours from Chinese site WPDang say that the Surface mini will come packing Kinect-like technology to track faces and hand movments.

This could mean that we will see gesture based controls similar to those found on the Samsung Galaxy S4, with the Surface mini able to dim the screen when not being looked at, or able to swipe a page without dirtying the screen.

Unlike the majority of 'mini' releases we have seen this year, the Surface mini appears to come as well-stocked as its bigger brother.

Mini only name?

The same site also claims that the Surface mini will come with a smaller screen, around the 8-inch mark. This puts it up against the iPad mini 2 with Retina, whilst keeping the Full HD resolution that adorns its larger brother.

Other key specs include the, unsurprising, choice of Windows RT 8.1 running on Intel's Bay Trail processor.

These specs would also have put the Surface mini against the upcoming Nokia Lumia 2020 tablet (expected to appear at MWC 2014), although sources talking to My Nokia Blog have said that the Lumia 2020 has been cancelled.

Either way, it seems that Microsoft is readying a new tablet to take on the dominance of the iPad mini 2 with Retina, but does Windows RT 8.1 have the power to win out?

Via Phone Arena.