I will be spending a week in London in two weeks time and while I am there I want to use the opportunity to do some shopping. Does anybody know of any shops in central London that sell geek toys and electronic gadgets? Something like http://www.thinkgeek.com but a physical shop.
Forbidden Planet comes to mind, although that’s more sci-fi books/movies than gadgets.
There’s a chain called The Gadget Shop in malls across the land (http://www.astrojax.co.uk/gadget.htm). Although strangely their own website doesn’t seem to mention bricks & mortar stores. Maybe they’ve gone online-only? Their stuff is a bit downmarket of Thinkgeek, judging from your link.
The Gadget Shop may be useful, some of the stuff they have appears to be identical to what’s offered by ThinkGeek. I see there’s one by Covent Garden, I’ll have a look when I’m there.
Strangely enough there’s a shop called The Gadget Shop here in South Africa but they’re pretty small and don’t have much of a selection.
Try the museum shops at the Science Museumand the Museum of Natural History. Awesome! Both museums are right next to each other and admission is free.
Playlounge on Carnaby Street is (I think) exactly the sort of thing you’re after, but don’t expect it to be cheap. Oh and the Apple Store is on Regent Street, just nearby. Second the Science Museum recommendation also, there’s some great stuff in there. And the museum’s pretty good, too. 
There are some great design shops between Covent Garden and Leicester Square - Magma is an example, although that’s more books than anything else. Has a selection of nifty t-shirts and vinyl toys though; not quite what you describe, but in a similar sort of vein. Forbidden Planet is right near there as well.
Just north of there are a lot of electronics shops on Tottenham Court Road, which is at the east end of Oxford Street. They’re more for consumer electronics than geek type gadgets though, and while the occasional thing is cheap, it’s not exactly a bargain-hunter’s paradise. Don’t take this as a recommendation to go to Oxford Street, either, it’s absolutely horrific. Avoid like the plague, unless “being jostled” is your idea of fun times.
Agreed also with Ximeanan, Gadget Shops are more towards the end of cheap presenty tat. They have the occasional nifty thing, but mostly just stuff for flustered aunts to buy as Christmas presents.
Anyway, enjoy. Hopefully it’ll have stopped bucketing with rain by the time you arrive.
Thanks for the info. I am a bit concerned about the rain but at least it looks like there are occasional sunny spells.