Updated from 4:53 p.m. EST
Smartphone makers took a beating along with the rest of the tech sector Wednesday. Palm (PALM Quote), which had enjoyed a brief rally following its debut of the Pre at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, got slapped by investors Wednesday, falling 15.1% to $5.29. BlackBerry maker Research In Motion (RIMM Quote) suffered slightly less, falling 2.5% to $45.10. iPhone maker Apple (AAPL Quote) closed down 2.7% to $85.33 before shares were halted pending CEO Steve Jobs' announcement that he will take medical leave until June. Nokia (NOK Quote) was down 5.7% to $13.49, and beleaguered Motorola (MOT Quote) was slipping 4.9% to $4.11.



