In 2001 kids had nokia cell phones. In theory, while today's cell phones are much more sophisticated 2001 was still a stage where people carried communication devices everywhere they went.
In 2001, the internet had already taken off. Although it was web 1.0 with lots of static html and poorly colored websites it was still accessible through DSL or dial up. LetsRun I believe still looks and feels the same as it did in 2001.
In 2001 facebook didn't exist but social media wasn't exactly absent from the internet. Instead of facebook chat, there was AOL Instant Messenger. Instead of a status update you had an AIM away message. Instead of Facebook Photos you had snapfish, flickr or one of the many other online galleries that you linked through your AIM profile. Instead of facebook profiles there was classmates.com and myspace.com neither of which I participated in but AIM did have a profile aspect to it where you could list whatever you wanted (quotes, links to galleries, etc).
In 2001 lap top computers and flat panel lcd monitors were on the market. TVs were transitioning into that flat panel style as well.
In 2001 the United States was terrorized on 9/11. We are still in this "War on Terror" so to speak and obsessed with the middle east.
You tell me. Is the world that different now in 2014 compared to 2001? Extended discussion: was 2001 much different than 1997? I seem to think so but I don't seem to think 2001 is THAT different than 2014.