Google Maps Android API v2 - Sample Code crashes

I'm trying to get the sample code of Android 'Google Maps Android API v2' working. I get the project built without errors. However, when I try to run the app on my Galaxy Nexus (connected with usb to my laptop), the app crashes immediately.

• I filled in my own Maps API Key at the AndroidManifest.xml
• I built against Android 4.1.2

This is the logging:

Unable to resolve superclass of Lcom/example/mapdemo/BasicMapActivity; (66) 
Link of class 'Lcom/example/mapdemo/BasicMapActivity;' failed 
Could not find class 'com.example.mapdemo.BasicMapActivity', referenced from method com.example.mapdemo.MainActivity.<clinit> 
VFY: unable to resolve const-class 108 (Lcom/example/mapdemo/BasicMapActivity;) in Lcom/example/mapdemo/MainActivity; 
VFY: replacing opcode 0x1c at 0x000d 
Exception Ljava/lang/NoClassDefFoundError; thrown while initializing Lcom/example/mapdemo/MainActivity; 
Class init failed in newInstance call (Lcom/example/mapdemo/MainActivity;) 
Shutting down VM 
threadid=1: thread exiting with uncaught exception (group=0x41ac9930) 
FATAL EXCEPTION: main 
java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError
at java.lang.Class.newInstanceImpl(Native Method)
at java.lang.Class.newInstance(Class.java:1319)
at android.app.Instrumentation.newActivity(Instrumentation.java:1054)
at android.app.ActivityThread.performLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2097)
at android.app.ActivityThread.handleLaunchActivity(ActivityThread.java:2230)
at android.app.ActivityThread.access$600(ActivityThread.java:141)
at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1234)
at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:137)
at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5039)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:511)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:793)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:560)
at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method) 
Caused by: java.lang.NoClassDefFoundError: com.example.mapdemo.BasicMapActivity
at com.example.mapdemo.MainActivity.<clinit>(MainActivity.java:97)
... 15 more

Does anybody have a hint how to solve this or what I might be doing wrong?

Follow the crib sheet very, very carefully:
https://docs.google.com/document/pub?id=19nQzvKP-CVLd7_VrpwnHfl-AE9fjbJySowONZZtNHzw

In particular, I think you need to:

• Import the actual source for the "google-play-services_lib" project and link it as an Android library.
  • Do this through Project -> Properties -> Android -> Library, Add -> google-play-services_lib (you can right click on your project and choose Properties, then select Android).
  • Do not add it as a dependent Project through the "Java Build Path" for your project, that didn't work for me.
• Add the google-play-services.jar and android-support-v4.jar into a "libs" folder in the sample project, and add them as "External External JARs" in "Build Path -> Configure Build Path -> Libraries".

I found this second step was necessary as I was hitting the exact same error as you when trying to use the sample code. The first step was necessary to avoid a NoClassDefFoundError in com.google.android.gms.R$styleable in my real project.

I also needed to do a Clean build and Uninstall the app from the device (from an earlier test attempt) before the sample code worked.

Follow next sample code instructions by google.

Skip on "4" section, and follow below instructions:

• Add new folder to your project named "libs"

• Copy google-play-services.jar form:

  "android-sdk-folder\extras\google\google_play_services\libproject\google-play-services_lib\libs"

  to "libs" folder --> right click on this jar in this folder --> Build path --> Add to build path.

• Copy android-support-v4.jar form:

  "android-sdk-folder\extras\android\support\v4"

  to "libs" folder --> right click on this jar in this folder --> Build path --> Add to build path.

Where "android-sdk-folder" usually looks like: "C:\Users\User_Name\android-sdks"