The Fourth of July is almost upon us, and like any summer celebration, it's a great opportunity to hang out with friends outdoors, listen to music, set off some fireworks, maybe do some grilling, and show off some new gadgets you bought just for the occasion. Here are some of the coolest, and most useful, gadgets for keeping the music flowing during 2014's Fourth of July.

The Best Bluetooth Speakers

The backyard, porch, rooftop and/or beach are the most common venues for any Fourth of July celebration, especially if you're not going into the center of the city to line up hours before the fireworks start. But in our modern technological age, you're probably not going to bring a stack of CDs and a boom box to the party -- and your friends are going to want to put some tunes on from their smartphones as well.

Nowadays, we use our smartphones and streaming music services as our infinite-playlist boom boxes. If you're hosting an outdoors Fourth of July party and already don't have a set of Bluetooth speakers for your tunes, it's time to go out and pick it up.

Bluetooth speakers are simply the new standard in portable music, especially after Apple changed the 30-pin iPhone connection to the Lightning adapter in the iPhone 5. Add to that the fact that Android smartphones use yet another standard, and it's clear that Bluetooth wireless is the universal alternative to the old dock-based boom boxes.

Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker III

If you have the money to burn on the best Bluetooth speaker out there, the Bose SoundLink Bluetooth Speaker II is where it's at.

Why?

It offers outstanding battery life, great sound and it's future-proof. This $300 Bluetooth speaker lasts for up to 14 hours on a three-hour charge (doubled from the III's predecessor), and it provides nicely balanced, warm sound with surprisingly strong bass for a portable speaker. And it can get very loud without distortion, so no matter how big or boisterous the party, you'll be able to hear your music.

With its classic look, it'll fit any setting. But it won't become a "classic" gadget, in the sense that it's behind the times within a year, because a microUSB port in the back allows for updating the device's firmware if a better, new Bluetooth standard is ever widely adopted.

It's been reviewed very well on Amazon and tech sites as one of the top, if not the best, portable Bluetooth speaker.

The downside: It weighs three pounds and isn't exactly the most portable portable Bluetooth speakers on the market, and its Bluetooth range is only 30 feet, which isn't top-of-the-line even compared to less expensive competitors. Also, if you're going to spend $300 on a speaker, you might look into HiFi Wi-Fi speakers like Sonos, as that technology is interconnectable, expandable and would make a first step towards a future full-house sound system.

Ultimate Ears MINI BOOM Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

For a less expensive option, go for the UE MINI BOOM, which sells for under $100.

This speaker delivers up to 10 hours of music -- still the long enough for most parties -- and with a maximum sound level of 86 dB, it'll still perform well enough for most.

It also bests the Bose SoundLink III in Bluetooth range, as it's advertised to work at up to 50 feet but can actually go a little further in real life. It's also more portable, at 9.6 ounces and smaller dimensions means it will fit in a beach bag or backpack much more easily, though it still won't fit in your pocket. It's also water resistant, which is a plus, but don't try listening to your music underwater.

On top of that, the UE MINI BOOM supports NFC devices and you can wirelessly connect two of them together -- not too unlike Wi-Fi speakers -- in a stereo array. It's Wirecutter's top choice of Bluetooth speakers, which is a big honor in a crowded field, especially for a device that costs less than a third of some of the fanciest speakers. It also works as a speakerphone, in case you're a business-type beyond the Fourth of July weekend.

Must-Have Accessories for Outdoor Music

If you're not interested in getting the two top Bluetooth speakers or already own something that's "good enough," but still want to have a good time in the backyard all day, here are some suggestions to improve your speaker and streaming setup.

Cheaper Bluetooth speakers will only last a few hours on a charge, and for backyard parties, that's probably fine -- just find an extension cord and hook it up directly to your house's power outlet. But on the beach or elsewhere, you won't have that luxury, and remember, a lot of older smartphones can still bleed out after a couple hours of playing music anyway.

That's why a portable battery/charger is key. Here's the best one:

IOGEAR GearPower Ultra Capacity Mobile Power Station

This external charger is big and heavy at 10.4 ounces, which is exactly what you want if you're going to keep your speakers and other devices charged through a long day of partying.

It comes with two USB ports for multi-device charging, and inside there's a mammoth 11,000 mAh battery pack. Expect it to be able to keep all of your party's iPhones, Android smartphones, tablets, and microUSB-charging Bluetooth speakers juiced for at least a whole day, if not the whole weekend. The downside is that it's expensive, at about $80, although for Amazon Prime members, the cost right now is only about $50.

Wi-Fi: AirPort Express or NETGEAR Universal Dual Band Wi-Fi Range Extender

Besides power, the main limited resource for streaming music at a party is data -- and it's a particularly expensive resource at that.That's why, if you're going to be in the backyard, porch, or anywhere else near your home Wi-Fi, you might want to get a Wi-Fi extender for you and your guests to avoid using up all that mobile data.

The first option, though, should be to try to put a wired Wi-Fi hub somewhere near the area where you'll be hanging out in. Nothing beats a Wi-Fi router that's physically connected to your modem.

But if that's not possible, there are still two good options (out of a slew of inconsistent, bad ones) for extending your Wi-Fi, but neither is cheap.

If you already have an Apple AirPort, get an AirPort Express for around $100. Apple makes it easy to extend your network using two Apple products, but unfortunately they don't make it easy if you don't use an AirPort-brand Wi-Fi router in the first place.

For that, use the NETGEAR Universal Dual Band WiFi Range Extender, which is dual band, no-hassle setup, and should work with almost any modern WiFi network. But it usually costs about $140, though Amazon Prime and Walmart have it at $80 currently.

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