Biz Buzz

LONG ISLAND

World Wide adds 3 companies

World Wide Security, a Garden City provider of intrusion and fire alarm systems for homes, businesses and school districts, has added three firms to its group of companies. Two of the acquired companies are on Long Island, and the other is in New York City. World Wide did not disclose financial terms in its purchases of Dart Security of Woodbury, Access One Security of Commack and LSG Security Systems of the Bronx. Access One had already established a connection to World Wide before the purchase, using World Wide's central station for its accounts. Dart Security's market is in both Nassau and Suffolk counties. LSG's is in Westchester County and in New York City, where World Wide hopes to expand. -- Joseph Mallia

NATION

New low for 30-year mortgage

Fixed mortgage rates fell once again to a record low, offering a great opportunity for those who can afford to buy or refinance homes. But few are able to take advantage of the historic rates. Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 3.89 percent. That's below the previous record of 3.91 percent. Records date back to the 1950s. Mortgage rates are lower because they track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which fell below 2 percent. -- AP

Refining phone vibrations

Sure, today's phones can deliver the sound of a heartbeat. But how would you like to actually feel the throbbing? A few companies want to replace the crude vibration motors in phones and tablets with something that provides a much wider range of sensations, allowing you to feel the rumble of a Harley or the reverberation of a shotgun blast. At the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Artificial Muscle Inc. this week demonstrated an iPhone it had modified to shake as it ran a simple ball-rolling game. It provided the feeling not just of the ball hitting the walls of a maze, but of the slight vibration it made while rolling across the floor. -- AP

Orman's prepaid card has price

Don't choose a prepaid card just because it's from Suze Orman. The personal finance guru this week introduced a prepaid card that she's touting as a "smarter way to stay debt free." Orman says that her Approved card costs just $3 a month if used as directed. But as with most prepaid cards, the amount cardholders ultimately fork over will vary significantly depending on their spending habits. Prepaid cards are used as a stand-in for debit cards by those who don't have checking accounts. The cards are advertised as a way to control spending or dodge steep bank fees. But the fees on prepaid cards can rack up quickly as well. -- AP

Home Depot hiring in spring

Home Depot Inc. said Thursday that it will hire 70,000 seasonal workers for the spring, its biggest season. The number is about the same as last year, company spokesman Stephen Holmes said. Spring is the biggest season for home improvement projects as homeowners work on their homes, gardens and lawns. Last year about half of the seasonal workers were hired permanently. Home Depot employs about 300,000 workers overall. -- AP

WORLD

OT for after-hours job emailing

Brazilian workers who find themselves answering work emails on their smartphones after the end of their shifts can qualify for overtime under a new law. The new legislation was approved by President Dilma Rousseff last month. It says that company emails to workers are equivalent to orders given directly to the employee. Labor attorneys told the Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper this makes it possible for workers answering emails after hours to ask for overtime pay. -- AP