I'm a relatively happy TSU9600 user, and if I was thinking about starting it all again now with a clean sheet, I wouldn't buy a TSU9600 until the future of the product line was more clear. It is a very expensive tool which is going to have limited or no support. If you have above average programming skills, then I would recommend getting a network connected IR transmitter like the Global Caché GC-100 and program an Android device to control it. If you have an Android phone with a keyboard you already have hard keys (like a Motorola Droid for example), you have an excellent touch-screen. And in the non too distant future I'm pretty sure you are going to have a great selection of tablets with hard keys as well.

In fact, I'm so certain that this is the right way to go in the current climate that I've started work on my own Android app and I'll be investing in a GC-100 in the very near future. I would definitely pick Android over iPhone though since for developing your own application you really want to be able to work with a more open device, and not have to deal with the vagaries of the Apple app store.