More to the point, they awarded money for things like rounded squares. Apple invented rounded squares? There needs to be a better balance between intellectual property and common sense / competition.
The patents at question in this trial actually aren't so simple. Apple owns a patent for a rectangular phone with rounded corners, a large and flat face, a touch screen display that covers the front, a bezel surround, a home button located at the bottom middle, etc. Apple didn't sue because Samsung made phones with rounded corners, but because they allege that the Samsung phones in question borrow far too heavily on this "overall design."
Now, I'll definitely agree on your last point, though. There are some ridiculous things that have been given patents out there-
like, for example, using a stick as a fetch toy for a dog.
